Doors open on this year's giving effort

The doors are officially open for the 2008 Hillside Special Santas holiday giving effort in Rochester and the surrounding areas.

A ceremony was held today at Eastman Hall on Hillside Children’s Center’s Monroe Avenue campus to mark the occasion. The event commemorated the start of the 27th year that Hillside Special Santas and the program’s Community Partners will work together in a giving spirit to provide new, unwrapped gifts to more than 5,900 youth and their families served by Hillside Family of Agencies.

“The growth of Hillside Special Santas and what it has meant to the youth and families is truly reflective of that special human quality that is shown when there are others in need,” says Sally Bohne, Hillside Special Santas director.

The special quality Bohne talks about is also shown through the commitment that several businesses in the region have made this year to help Hillside Special Santas reach its goal to provide more than 17,700 gifts this holiday season.

One such Community Partner was on hand at the opening ceremony. Sue Schiffhauer from the Rochester Athletic Club (RAC) joined in the festivities and celebrated their third year of displaying hundreds of Hillside Special Santas gift tags, each one describing a specific child’s wish, in their lobbies. RAC patrons and visitors are asked to take a tag home after a workout, and purchase a corresponding gift. New, unwrapped gifts should be returned to the RAC location where they picked up the gift tag.

“The partnership with the Rochester Athletic Club is a unique opportunity to focus on each organization’s commitment to healthy living, wellness, and working to build a positive spirit throughout the community,” says Bohne.

In photo: Sue from RAC is on the left next to Sally. Look for more pictures here soon from the event!