BWC kicks off annual Christmas Project

BONSALL — “The 15th annual Christmas Project spearheaded by the Bonsall Woman’s Club started off with a food drive at Bonsall Elementary School last week,” said Mary Jane Poulter, founder and chairman of the event.

Renee Hall and Michelle Vest of the Bonsall PTA organized the classroom food drive to help special families in need during the holiday season.

They were overwhelmed when they counted 37 tall boxes filled to the brim with “all types of canned goods and even boxes of cereal and other assorted food products.”

As a thank you, they will make sure that every grade receives a reward.

Fallbrook Refuse service (EDCO) donated the boxes.

The Bonsall Woman’s Club (BWC) has a liaison who provides names of military families needing help for the holidays and local schools provide a list of families from Bonsall, Pala and Fallbrook comprised of 80 to 85 children in need of Christmas toys.

More names are added as the holidays near. Recommendations are checked carefully and personal contact is made by the chairman.

Proceeds from a BWC fundraiser held November 6 will be used to purchase grocery gift cards for each family.

Bonsall Rotary, Bonsall Chamber of Commerce and Pardee Tree Nursery are lending their support to the effort to help purchase and collect toys.

Each of the families will receive a grocery gift card and two toys for each child; some will also receive food from the Bonsall Elementary School food drive.

Poulter said, “I still think of that Bonsall mother who was waiting for a heart transplant and was not one of the fortunate ones to receive it in time.”

Her husband called last year saying she had passed away. She left two elementary school children and her husband, who works at a local flower nursery.

“With monetary funds donated, we bought toys, added a grocery gift card and purchased a complete cooked turkey dinner from Major Market. This is just one example of some of the families in need.”

The Christmas Project has scheduled the first week in December to make sure all toys are collected. Wrapping and sorting will take place the second week of December. Help is always welcome. To learn more, call (760) 801-7443.