Santa Cruz Derby Girls were honored to “Adopt-a-Family” again this winter, as we have done since our girls began rolling in Santa Cruz in 2007. Valley Churches United Missions provided SCDG with two wonderful families to cherish and celebrate this holiday season.
Valley Churches United Missions is a coalition of church and community volunteers working together to perform humanitarian acts by providing immediate direct aid to the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley residents in their time of need. They began their efforts in response to such disaster as the storms and mudslides in 1982 and the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989.
Our league chose the Valley Churches program in 2009 because one of our Derby Girls had a specific interest in giving back through this organization, which had helped her through rough times in years past.
When the children’s wish lists were received, they were posted on the SCDG internal communication website, and for two weeks, filled with Christmas spirit, Derby Girls bought toys and brought them to practice.
Christmas morning for our adopted families is best described by an excerpt from a thank you letter written by a single mom of three children:
"To those who made it possible for my family to open gifts and celebrate the traditional Christmas way, I sincerely thank you for gathering items/presents, wrapping and delivering gifts, the time and effort to adopt us as your family during the Christmas season will never be forgotten."
Although the adopted families were overjoyed by our gifts, what these families may not realize is that they allowed us to really experience the power of giving. Because of them, we were able to reach out to folks in need in our own community.
SCDG members are able to give because we know that we are truly blessed. Not only was the SCDG community there for two families in need during the holidays, but it is also there for each one of us as league members through a strong sisterhood.
"Adopt-a-Family" has definitely become a Santa Cruz Derby Girls holiday tradition.
