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14 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2017 SPOTLIGHT ON FOUR SEASONS By Laurie Larson Now that the holidays are over and the New Year is upon us, we at Four Seasons Beaumont can look back at 2016 with pride and gratitude. Pride in the generosity of so many of our homeowners, and gratitude that we live among so many caring people. After seeing the little tree adorned with tags and the receptacle for non-perishable food items set up in the Lodge year after year at holiday time, I was aware that Winter Wish Program was well established and that it must be helping many Pass Area families. And I knew that the Social Committee was responsible for it at Four Seasons. I met with Melody Seewoster, Pam Morales and several other members of the Social Committee. I wish I could list every member of this and the other committees and groups involved, but space limitations prohibit it. But you know who you are and the thanks you deserve. Winter Wish began 23 years ago, and Melody has been involved for 14 years, 11 of them at Four Seasons. The annual process begins in September, and the tag-covered tree is put on display in November. Tags are marked with a T for toy or a C for clothing, and every child in a recipient family will be included, receiving both a toy and clothing. Tags are replenished as ones are removed by gift-givers. Winter Wish benefits children in the Beaumont School District. Names are supplied by teachers in the District, and members of the Social Committee contact the families whose tags they have been given, to insure that they wish to be included. All gifts must be in by Dec. 5, taken for distribution, collated, lined up, and given out to the correct recipients. With various collection sites bringing in their gifts, sometimes there are 10 lines of boxes stretched out across the gym floor at Beaumont High School. Parents come to collect the gifts without the children so that the kids suffer no embarrassment. Let's not forget the food drive. If you are not familiar with the Winter Wish holiday non-perishable food receptacle, you will be as the holidays come again. As the tired but proud Social Committee members say, "it's a lot of work." And a final note: it happens that families who have been the recipients of this hard work and generosity have an up-turn in their circumstances and come right back again to Winter Wish, but this time as volunteers and donors. Now that's a gift to all who have worked so hard. Although holiday time is gift giving time, other groups give the results of their labors during the year. If you can access a copy of the October 2016 Breeze, on page 38 you can see a picture of the baby quilts that were donated to San Gorgonio Hospital by the Machine Quilting Group. Sally Petersen and Sue Wilson described how each member of this group made five squares of various fabric and fabric colors which were then sewn into a large blanket and eventually quilted. Then this gorgeous creation was donated to The Wounded Warrior Project. The Machine Quilting Group has a new project every month. Not all of them are for charitable donations. Many are for lucky friends and family. But group members are always talking about projects to complete and give to those in need. The African American Culture Club has donated clothes, food, and The Art Of Giving At Four Seasons Beaumont continued on page 15

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