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White Doves Holiday Project 2006

A major project of Martin Volunteers each year is the White Doves Holiday Project. In 2006, White Doves conducted its 18th year of bringing smiles, toys and food to thousands of people.

ALL ABOUT WHITE DOVES 2006

Read about grand opening on Nov. 6

DISTRIBUTION:

Families are referred to White Doves by social service agencies, schools and faith-based groups. They receive groceries, a ham or turkey, and toys for their children.

White Doves served 1,206 families with 3,087 children. This includes:
On Dec. 18 at Hope Rural School in Indiantown, White Doves served 311 families with 859 children. On Dec. 20-21 at the Martin County Fairgrounds in Stuart, White Doves served 895 families with 2,228 children.
In addition, 65 families were adopted by generous individuals, businesses and school groups offering to give a little extra TLC.
White Doves gave hams and groceries to 175 elderly couples and individuals referred by the Council on Aging of Martin County.
Other special groups served include 14 families helped through New Horizons of the Treasure Coast as well as toys to 80 children at Sandy Pines and 24 children at the Sandpiper Cluster. Each of these agencies provides mental health and special needs services for children and/or adults.

VOLUNTEERS: About 150 volunteers -- ranging from Boy Scouts to business people to Retired and Senior Volunteer Program members -- devoted thousands of hours to the White Doves Holiday Project. Volunteer roles range from sorting toys and food, decorating the warehouse, organizing deliveries, helping clients and entering data.

SCOUTING FOR FOOD: On the second week of November, members of the Boy Scouts of America - Gulf Stream Council collect bags of nonperishable food from residents and deliver them to the White Doves warehouse at the Martin County Fairgrounds. The 2006 drive brought in 16,809 pounds of food on Nov. 11. Read more >>

TOYS FOR TOTS: The other major partner of White Doves is the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots drive. White Doves is sanctioned as the local coordinating organization for the collection of Toys for Tots in Martin County. Thanks go to the dozens of businesses that served as collection points and the thousands of people who donated toys.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT CHALLENGE: The second annual Holiday Spirit Challenge was held among the three Martin County high schools. The high school that collects the most toys for White Doves is awarded a traveling trophy – the White Doves Holiday Project Spirit Challenge Award. Jensen Beach High School won for the second straight year.

TOM AND LISA HALEY: The Haleys have been involved in White Doves for many years, helping to distribute turkeys, hams and toys. In 2005, they stepped up as the co-chairs on the White Doves Holiday Project and returned for 2006. Tom is the owner of Buy the Hour Builders, and Lisa owns an Advanced Laser Therapy franchise. The Haleys came up with the idea to have the Holiday Spirit Challenge among the high school students. “We want to get a new generation involved in White Doves,” Tom Haley said. “We hope this generates a lot of excitement among the students and their families.”

GEORGE PHILLIPS: George Phillips, another veteran White Doves volunteer, stepped up after Dick Schwinkendorf, the longtime warehouse manager, passed away in August 2005. Throughout November and December, George spends long hours at the warehouse, organizing goods and volunteers, handling deliveries and other logistics.

ADOPTERS: More than 100 individuals, families or groups adopt at least one White Doves family each year. This includes several groups from local high schools. Also, the community of Harbour Ridge adopts all the families of Hope Rural School in Indiantown.