Dear Berthoud Community,

The Christmas in Berthoud 2009 Team would like you to know how your generous donations of time and talent helped families this Christmas. Deliveries were made to families Saturday, December 19th from 6-8pm. We are very thankful for having so many volunteers help distribute the wonderful gifts.

The Christmas in Berthoud Team raised over $13,000 to help families in need. We were able to assist:

• 165+ children
• 65+ families
• 14 single seniors

In addition to the cash raised, we were also able to collect:

• 2,000 pounds of canned food (and we had so much extra food that we were able to have a back stock of food at House of Neighborly Services – their shelves were empty the 2nd week in November)
• 100+ coats
• 100+ hats, mittens, and scarves
• 100+ toys

Each family with children received:

• Gift card to Hays Market to purchase groceries for a Christmas dinner
• Cash for each child so that parents could buy their child a Christmas gift
• Large bag of groceries in a Home State Bank or Hays Market donated cloth bag
• Beef from Pickert Dairy

Many people have asked us what is Christmas in Berthoud? Who is in charge? Who’s the team that put this event together?
Here’s where our vision started: Teaming together to touch our community with love by raising money to help families in need purchase gifts for their children for Christmas and groceries for a holiday dinner. Our Berthoud Community…donating our time, talents, and financial resources to give back and give hope.

How did we raise over $13,000? We started the planning process back in July of this year. Many volunteers were creating gorgeous wreaths and Christmas trees in garages around town. The Festival of Trees silent auction part of our fundraiser this year alone raised close to $5,000. We also planned a craft show, Make ‘n Take crafts, home-based business expo, concerts, dinners, brunches, photos with Santa, etc. to help contribute to the fund raising activities. You can visit www.christmasinberthoud.org to see all of the great events that were held.

Who was on the Christmas in Berthoud Planning Team?

1. Roger Bates CPA/PFS helped with banking
2. Don Dana helped with lights in Railroad Park and got the Chamber Ambassadors involved in decorating empty store fronts
3. Jenny Foote organized the Home-Based Business Expo, Chili Dinner, and Photos with Santa at the Community Center
4. Janet Jamerson designed numerous trees and wreaths around town as well as built the beautiful baskets that were for sale in Grace Place
5. Kelly Hines-Keller designed the original artwork and poster for our marketing efforts
6. Kim Land organized the Make & Take at Berthoud Elementary and handled all family nominations from the schools and HNS
7. Judy Lehn handled all press coverage and even got 9News to cover out event
8. Vondra Maier organized the craft show at Grace Place and was also a crafter in the show
9. Paula Megenhardt designed the flyers for our marketing materials
10. Jennifer Miller worked with House of Neighborly Services as well as other businesses collecting donations, organizing them, and was in charge of the delivery process of gifts
11. Melisa O’Leary was the organizer of all communications and events and decorated a number of trees and wreaths around town
12. Rose Pauly oversaw all activities taking place at Grace Place including the craft show, Girlfriends Brunch, and concert/dinner
13. Jen Rotar developed a new website for CIB and kept the data current, and was co-organizer of Retro Bistro Brunch
14. Dorian Ryan Tacy sold sponsorships, worked with printers and school district to get flyers printed and distributed, and was co-organizer of Retro Bistro Brunch
15. Bronya Wilcken handled volunteer coordination and also designed various trees and wreaths around town
16. Sara Wright represented the Library and organized the hat, mitten, and scarf drive as well as food for fines. Also acted as liason for Main Street Program and coordinating communication.
17. The families of the volunteers listed above deserve a huge thank you for allowing your spouses, moms, and dads to give their time to the cause. You know who you are! 

Who else volunteered? The list is so long that I’m afraid I’m going to forget someone and please accept my apologies if your name is not listed and you helped contribute to this great cause! We are so very thankful to everyone who helped us pull off this event.

1. Berthoud Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors for helping light up the empty store fronts and making downtown Berthoud so homey and for also being judges for the decorating and Christmas spirit contests
2. Berthoud Elementary students for raising over $563 with their change drive
3. Berthoud Elementary PTA for their generous donation
4. Berthoud Elementary Make & Take event volunteers: Camilla LoJeske, Holly Ross, Sue and the Ivy Stockwell PTO, April Lucero’s Girl Scout Troop, Susan Worrell, Melissa White, Kris Stoesz and family, Heidi Roge and family, Paul and Gail Schumacker and family, Mr. J and class, Emily Minugh and family, Kellie Davidson, Jeff, Pam, and Lauren Schiller, Kris Hickman, Claudia Heaphy, and Linda Hirsch
5. Berthoud Fire Department for helping deliver gifts
6. Berthoud Foursquare Church for donations from wreath sales
7. Berthoud Police Department for traffic control during our Parade of Lights
8. Berthoud Town Board for donating lights and time to light up the new tree in Fickel Park. A special thank you goes to Jeff Hindman and his family for spending a full day putting up lights.
9. Bill Markham for his John Deer tractor and wagon for the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Thanks for Barb Mitteis for helping decorate for the Tree Lighting and donating your own supplies to light up Berthoud!
10. Bunco groups around town for donating your winnings from December
11. CIB Delivery Team volunteers – Jennifer Miller and family, Kim Land and family, Kathleen Henning and family, Brad Pickert and family, and many other great volunteers who made the delivery process seamless. Grace Place’s Moms in Touch helped deliver donations to seniors
12. Grace Place congregation for great volunteers throughout every stage of the event
13. Hays Market for allowing us to stuff flyers in their bags
14. Ivy Stockwell Elementary for their successful food drive
15. Latter Day Saints Church for caroling before and after the parade
16. Scott Banzaff and Don Dana for organizing a great Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting Ceremony
17. Families and friends for their anonymous donations

Who were the sponsors? The Christmas in Berthoud Team would like to give an extra special thanks to the following companies. Without you, these kids may not have the great Christmas they now will have.

Advertising Sponsor The Berthoud Surveyor – $800+ donated ad space and articles/announcements throughout life of event
The Berthoud Recorder – articles/announcements throughout life of event
Times-Call – Reduced printing charges for flyers
Times-Call & Reporter Herald – articles/announcements throughout life of event
WAYFM – 6 free radio spots the day of event

Building Sponsors: Grace Place – free rent of facility to host Festival of Trees, craft show, Girlfriends Brunch, Steve Desmond Concert & Dinner.
Community Center (Fire Department & Elnora with Senior Center) – free rent of facility to host Home-Based Business Expo, Photos with Santa, and Chili Dinner.
Berthoud Elementary – reduced fees for rental of facility for Make & Take event.

Festival of Trees – $100 Tree Donation Bruce Fickel, Esq.  
Retro Bistro  
Salon Blush

Festival of Trees – $250 Tree Donation Adams Bank and Trust  
Berthoud Family Dentistry  
Brookside Gardens  
Dynamic Floral & Marge Knievel
Hays Market  
JB Clymer’s  
Michael Bagley State Farm Insurance
Picture This Framing & The Berthoud Recorder  
Re/Max Town & Country Real Estate  
Renaze Salon & Day Spa  
Thompson School District

Festival of Trees – $75 Wreath Donation Log Cabin Liquor  
The Jumping Bean Coffee House  
Wyldehaven Naturals  
J. Mitchell Tacy Attorney at Law  
John Dough’s    
Berthoud Wine & Spirits  
Grandpa’s Café  
Weedin Insurance  
Premier LifeStyle Realty

Festival of Trees – $40 Wreath Donation AAC Adoption & Family Network  
Abbott Glass & Door Repair, Inc.
American Family Insurance, Stacia Fuller Agency   
Berthoud Athletic Club
Berthoud Habitat for Humanity  
Berthoud Inn & Events  
Berthoud Physical Therapy & Massage
Berthoud Senior Center
Berthoud Vision for Life   
Brick Oven Pizza  
Cottonwood Custom Builders
Dorothy King/Keller Williams Realty  
EnergyLogic, Inc.  
Gateway Natural Medicine  
Guaranty Bank and Trust Co.  
indigo sky trading co.  
Iota Corp Contract HR Services  
JB Clymer’s  
Jo to Go Drive thru Expresso  
Jones Plumbing, Inc.  
Karspeck Hair Design  
Kwik Korner  
Lawn Air  
Liz Kearney, Attorney at Law
Madd Castings & Dags Wax Chasing  
MainStreet Car Care  
Quick Print Shop  
Roger Bates, Wells Fargo Advisors  
Sing on Key  
Swanson House B&B
Team Cook @ The Cottage Realty, Ltd.

Other Donations: A&W – $200 donation to help pay for advertising expenses
Berthoud Community Library for hosting drop off location for hats, mittens, scarves, canned food, and toy donations
Berthoud Drug for snowman raffle proceeds and free balloons
Claudia Heaphy for translating recipient letters to Spanish
Claudia Todd – $100 donation to fund
Cornerstone Chiropractic for hosting drop off location for coats and boots
Families from Kinnard Junior High School for scarves, hats and mittens
Friends of Berthoud Town Forum – $100 donation to help pay for advertising expenses
House of Neighborly Services – Linda Hirsch and volunteers for coordination of family names and also for stocking of food items at their pantry
Gateway Natural Medicine for hosting drop off location for canned food
Grandpa’s Café for hosting tree with names for toys, Breakfast with Santa, and cookie decorating
MainStreet Car Care for hosting drop off location for coats, canned food, and toy donations
Pickert Dairy & friends for half side of beef & processing.

Want to volunteer for activities next year? We’d love to have you join the team. Please e-mail olearymlsa@aol.com. We’ll start planning as early as January and would love to have your creative ideas and enthusiasm!

Thanks again for being the “little town that could” and showing everyone how wonderful the Berthoud community is!

Melisa O’Leary
Christmas in Berthoud Event Coordinator