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Members of the Beth Sholom Temple in Stafford put together bags of homemade treats, fruit, candy Beth Sholom volunteers spread out to deliver goodies to folks working yesterday. |
BY ROBYN SIDERSKY
Working Christmas yesterday was made a little easier for some thanks to a group who wanted to spread a little holiday cheer.
About 20 members of Beth Sholom Temple in Stafford County visited places around the Fredericksburg area that don't close, even on a holiday.
The group--made up of young and old, families, siblings, single people and couples--made six stops on its goodwill tour.
They went to Mary Washington and Stafford hospitals, the Fredericksburg Police Department and rescue squad, and Stafford Sheriff's Office and fire department.
Yesterday morning they met at the synagogue and assembled bags of goodies to be handed out.
The bags were full of candy, homemade cookies, fruit and other treats.
They divided into smaller groups and set out to spread the good cheer.
Sisters Marin and Jaime Kobin baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies Saturday night to hand out on Christmas.
"We decided to give back to the community for Christmas," Marin said.
Jaime, who traveled from New York to visit her sister, said she wanted to do something to volunteer.
She said that they grew up doing a lot of volunteer work and were active in their synagogue. So it was natural for them to get involved with the activity.
Jeffrey Glazer of Spotsylvania County said he wanted to teach his kids, who are 7 and 14, about giving back during the holiday season.
He was in the group that went to Stafford Hospital and said they visited four different nursing stations.
When they reached the intensive care unit, there was no one there, so it would truly be a surprise when the nurses returned to the station during their shifts.
He said the people they interacted with appreciated it.
"It felt good," he said.
It was the first time the synagogue tried this style of giving back.
Sally Anderson, who helped coordinate the day, said she wasn't sure how it was going to go.
They didn't ask anyone to RSVP ahead of time.
It worked. She got a great response from the congregation.
Every year the synagogue organizes volunteer activities for its members to give back to the community around the holidays.
On Saturday, they visited a nursing home and spent time with its residents.
That's something they normally do on Christmas Day, but this year, the home asked them to come Christmas Eve.
That's where the idea for the goodwill tour on Christmas Day came from.
On Saturday night, some members went and served dinner at the Thurman Brisben homeless shelter, giving its workers the night off.
After the good cheer was spread, all of the separate groups got back together and enjoyed an Asian lunch and traded stories about giving out the goodies.
Robyn Sidersky 540/374-5413
Email: rsidersky@freelancestar.com
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