Coastie Kids Christmas

It never ceases to amaze me that we get such surprising random acts of kindness.

Just today a guy from the gym walks up to me and hands me an envelope with a $100 donation to Coastie Kids.

I got to work, and a very nice guy had dropped off bags of toys he purchased at Ikea. Those really cool wooden train sets and stuffed animals and assorted other goodies that the coastie kids will enjoy. He does not have a boat, or know a enlisted Coast Guard person with a family, but went way out of his way to help.

secret santa

Today Don is off to stations on the north shore with volunteers to drop off a truckload of gifts to Gloucester and Newburyport.

Thanks again, to all the people that generously donate their time and money to this worthy cause.

Mountains of clothes, toys and diapers were collected, bought, bagged tagged and delivered. Thanks to everybody that contributed, supported and helped make this holiday season just a tad bit better for all the Coastie families.

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I wish I had a dime for every time I asked myself this question. I wish I had another dime for every time I asked someone else. I am forever asking someone, what do I get my wife for Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary. I love her more than anything or anyone in the world. She deserves whatever I can give her. But ” What can I get her for Christmas” is the unanswerable question. She really has every thing she needs or wants.

When you get to this point, you lose your spark for gifting. You want to, but there is just not the return on investment that you might be looking for.

What does this have to do with Coastie Kids Christmas? Yesterday my wife and I met Don and Ellen Allan at the crack of dawn to stand in line at a factory store that was selling kids toys cheap. We took our generous donations that people have sent in and we packed garbage bags full of toys and stood in line for hours to check out. Then we stuffed two pick up trucks full of toys for sorting, wrapping and distribution.

Don asked us if we would like to tag along while he delivered this years presents to the kids at the Boston Coast Guard Station. He said they were having a little family holiday get together, and that we were invited.

We were pretty anonymous, except that a few of the enlisted men and woman wondered who the people were that were carrying in bags stuffed with gifts and diapers. The chief said that we were the people that brought presents to kids at the holidays. With a big turnover every year, most people were surprised and grateful. The holiday family party went on and we stood in the back. I could not help but see how close these families were. The dads chasing kids around and the moms catching up. The Yankee swap was hilarious. It was a nice break for the families, before the Coastie men and woman all went out to do their work quietly on the other end of channel 16.

To my point here. For years, I have helped, promoted, donated, DJ’d, shopped or whatever it took to help the cause. But till yesterday, it never hit home, exactly why I did it, or why Don is so passionate about it.

This is not a charity, Sure the families need it, but would get by without it. Believe me, these are not wall street yuppies that serve this country. They live sparsely, they worry about every bill, they do without. They do not have fancy cars, or drive big boats. They don’t have dozens of presents under the tree at Christmas. They are all just young families struggling along like so many others. They might be hurting, or have a quiet wish list, but they are too proud to ever ask or share their woes.

What I learned is that I do not need to worry about what to get my wife. That is trivial. I learned that I am the lucky one. I found a new meaning of Christmas through these families. I remembered what giving was about. These young families are away from home in Alabama, Iowa, Hawaii, Texas and lots of other places where their real families are. So the real reason we do this is bring a little home to these coasties and give a few presents to their kids.

If you are worried about what to get her or him for Christmas, think about adopting a Coast Guard family, and donating to the Coastie Kids Christmas. Pick a family to help, give them a call at Christmas or have them to your home for the holidays.

Give don a call at 781-718-1052, or send your donation to:

Coastie Kids Christmas
C/O Allan Kitchen Gallery
1033 Turnpike Drive
Canton, Ma 02021

Thank you

The Coastie Kids family held the third annual fundraiser and party at Alan Kitchen Gallery in Canton. Don Allan is the owner of the Kitchen company and founder of the Coastie Kids Christmas.

The night was a huge success. Friends of the coast guard came out, and helped in any way they could. Special guest Linda Bean was there to tell her story to the guests and friends. She found out first hand about how important the Coast Guard is to all of us. We might not all have a need for them, but it is nice to know that they are always there.

The best insurance any boater could have is channel 16. Channel 16 gives every boater the piece of mind to go out and work and enjoy the waters in the United States.

Thanks to everybody who helped out and came out to help. As always, a special thanks to Don & Ellen Allan, who make it happen. Without their ideas, support, energy and caring, their would not be a Coastie Kids Christmas.

The next Coastie kids charity event, will be at tern Harbor marina in Weymouth Ma.

Date:  7/16/2011

Time: 7:00 PM

Where: 275 River Street Weymouth, Ma ( Tern Harbor Marina)

What to where: dress as a Hollywood Star Marilyn Monroe, Al Bundy, Charlie Chaplin- anything you like.

What to bring: THIS IS THE KEY- bring a toy or diapers for the kids. All donations accepted. also, BYOB, and BYOF