The spirit of the season lies in volunteers' hands

Hendrickson, 73, is one of the many people who spend their Christmas, or the days leading up to it, volunteering their time and energy. The six weeks that make up what we've come to call "the holidays" is the busiest time for non-profit and service organizations to receive offers of help from the public. It's the time when many think of giving to others.

Volunteer coordinators say they're delighted by the annual influx of calls and e-mails to help, but they also hope more folks will consider volunteering year-round or at other times.

"This year, we easily have more than twice as many volunteers than we did last year," said Dan Hobbs, who coordinates The Salvation Army's kettle campaign in the downtown Seattle area. More than 500 volunteers ring those bells, bringing in about $65,000 at 30 locations. But there are still shifts available.

Brent Herrmann, programs coordinator for The Millionair Club, which helps homeless men, says he actually has turned hundreds of people away from Thanksgiving and Christmas meal help.

"I'm wondering if it's because people have less money," he said." They used to donate money. Now they're donating time."

For six years, Hendrickson has been helping with special meals on holidays at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.

The mission already has about 160 volunteers who will spend their Christmas mopping floors, busing tables, cutting pies and more, said Carol Osher, volunteer manager. But the mission is always happy to find something to do for anyone who calls.

"There's people who are alone and maybe feeling a little blue this year," Osher said. "It can be a tough time for somebody who's lost someone or has a spouse in Iraq."

Hendrickson, who lives in a retirement home, said she enjoys the camaraderie and good spirits that abound while volunteering.

"I lost my husband and I have no family and I figured the best way to do it, rather than feeling sorry for myself, was to go somewhere and make someone else's day brighter," said Hendrickson.

She has become so experienced that she now helps oversee other volunteers who serve about 2,000 sit-down meals at the mission's men's shelter.

"I couldn't ask for a nicer gift," Hendrickson said. "Money cannot buy the feeling that you have when you help other people."

Karen, a 62-year-old community activist who wishes to remain anonymous, feels similarly when she and her family whip up a massive breakfast on Christmas morning at Ronald McDonald House, which provides temporary housing for families with seriously ill children who are being treated at nearby hospitals.

Volunteering here has taught her that it's not a good idea to try whisking more than two dozen eggs at once and to buy in volume at Costco.

She recalls the first time that she, her husband and three adult sons made a Christmas meal at Ronald McDonald House in 1996. They'd never cooked for 85 before and, after hours in the kitchen, found they were too exhausted to open their own presents.

"My middle son said, 'Who needs a present? We've just had Christmas,' " she recounted. "It's really a gift that we give ourselves."

This year, Karen's family, along with another family of friends, will cook for 200 and buy the supplies for the meal. Her three sons, all in their 30s, still look forward to volunteering at Christmas. One son who has two young children of his own hopes they become part of the family tradition when they're old enough.

Ringing a dainty red-and-white bell for The Salvation Army kettle campaign has become a tradition for Alice McConnell, a secretary at the Seattle VA Medical Center. While standing outside Pacific Place mall last week, McConnell said she usually rings the bell four times a week.

"I like the way people respond," she said. "It makes me feel good."

Last year a little boy and girl brought jars of coins that they'd been saving all year long and dumped the bounty into McConnell's kettle. She liked their idea, so this year she began saving her own change in a piggybank to donate.

"I'm pretty fortunate and this gives me perspective," she said.

For a dozen years or so, Rosie Schwartz, 68, has been helping serve holiday meals at the Millionair Club.

"I just feel lucky," she said. "I know that could be me in that situation. And I wouldn't want to be out in the cold, or God forbid, not have a meal."

Being Jewish and a Buddhist may make it easier for her to volunteer on Christmas, but Schwartz is moved by the meaning of the holiday season.

"Volunteering at Christmas is a wonderful way of showing the Christmas spirit," she said.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

It's not too late to volunteer this Christmas season, so here are a few organizations that are happy to receive help. All of these organizations, and others, welcome help year-round.

Dunshee House (formerly Seattle AIDS Support Group)

Volunteering: Help with the 15th annual Christmas Tree and Holiday Greenery Sale. Last year, the organization sold about 2,400 trees and more than 1,600 wreaths to support its annual budget. Three-hour shifts through Thursday night. "You get to be outside and it smells really good," said coordinator Airen Lydick. "And people are generally in a good mood when they're shopping for a Christmas tree."

Contact: 206-322-2437.

The Millionair Club Charity

Volunteering: Actually, the Millionair Club has been turning volunteers away for their Christmas meal shifts, but they need help year-round, especially serving lunch on weekdays or helping coordinate the day laborer program on Saturday mornings.

Contact: 206-728-5627 or see www.millionairclub.org

Ronald McDonald House

Volunteering: Besides prep and clean-up for two Christmas Day meals, there also wil be a New Year's Eve party. And McDonald House

often can use help for its meal programs on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Contact: Volunteer coordinator Judy Adams at 206-838-0606 or e-mail her at judy@rmhcseattle.org.

The Salvation Army Kettle Campaign (bell ringers)

Volunteering: It's not too late to ring a bell to encourage donations, but there are other activities, including the Toy'N'Joy campaign, which provides gifts for low-income families.

Contact: To see all possibilities, visit www.nwarmy.org and click on "holiday ." For bell ringing in downtown Seattle, call Daniel Hobbs at 206-442-8380 or e-mail him at daniel_hobbs@usw.sarmy.org.

The Seattle Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count

Volunteering: On Dec. 26, volunteers all over Seattle count birds to help track avian health and population. Led by master birders, they go out in small groups, then share a potluck soup meal. "There's a lot of urban nature out there that you might not even think about," said coordinator Margot Stiles. "We're counting all the birds, even pigeons and crows." Year-round opportunities include work parties, nature shop, field trips and numerous committees.

Contact: 206-523-4483 or e-mail cbc2004@seattleaudubon.org; or see www.seattleaudubon.org

Seattle's Union Gospel Mission

Volunteering: Serve and clean up after meals; work at a retail store, mailroom or youth center, creating booklets and brochures; and more. There is have enough help for the Christmas meals, but the staff will happily find other tasks.

Contact: 206-723-0767 or e-mail dove@ugm.org; www.ugm.org

The Forgotten Children's Fund

Volunteering: Good with bows? Sign up for the Gift Wrap Project through Friday night at the lower level of Pacific Place, next to Barnes & Noble. Volunteers wrap presents for a suggested donation in four-hour shifts.

Contact: Louise at 206-285-6128 to sign up for a shift. See www.forgottenchildrensfund.org for more information.

P-I reporter Kristin Dizon can be reached at 206-448-8118 or kristindizon@seattlepi.com.

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