WAYNESBORO – A group of volunteers whose mission is to offer comfort to cancer patients at Christmas said they feel surrounded by the community’s support.
“We’ve been blessed to continue this for 13 years and are so thankful to everyone who continues to donate,” said Alison Stephey, who is one of a local six-member core group, the Elves of Hope. She and her sister, Courtney Anderson, Mandy Hajel, her sister, Jackie Sullivan, their mother, Debi Duffey, and Lori Blubaugh gather each year with volunteers to assemble snowflake ornaments that will be attached to packages for patients at the John L. and Cora I. Grove Cancer Center in Chambersburg. Bags will be distributed to patients in mid-December.
The group evolved from a 2013 Facebook post by Hajel, who asked “What would you do with an extra $100 this Christmas?”
“I would make up comfort packages to give to cancer patients who would have treatment Christmas week, ”responded Denise Beck, the late mother of Sephey and Anderson. Blubaugh stepped up to help lead the group when Beck lost her life to cancer in 2016.
The volunteers brought their favorite snacks and sat around tables to assemble the 100 ornaments at Duffey’s home Oct. 22. In addition to the ornaments, each comfort package will contain a fleece blanket, a travel mug, playing cards, a puzzle book and pen, lip balm, hard candy, gum, lotion, tissues and holiday socks. Handmade gifts such as wooden and painted ornaments by The Cumberland Valley Woodcarvers Club and Christmas cards and hand-painted holiday pictures made by elementary students in Waynesboro and Chambersburg area school districts also will be included. Donors include: Karen Wolff, lip balm; Waynesboro Apothecary, lotion and lip moisturizer; and Arlene Unger/ REMAX Results, blankets.
“People have been so generous with their donations,”Hajel said. “We’re grateful to everyone who contributes. We have so many family and friends who make the ornaments as well as donate money to help pay for the items.”
It costs about $35 for each bag and anyone wishing to donate may send a check, payable to “Elves of Hope,” to Elves of Hope, in care of Alison Stephey, 11462 Buhrman Drive West, Waynesboro, PA 17268.
