While the magic of Christmas and the holiday season has lapsed, the sheer joy and appreciation that lingers at the Nest remains strong. This story isn’t about the Nest, however. This story is about you.
2012 was the fifth year the Nest has been open. The timing of its’ opening, in March 2007, is significant because just as this fledgling shelter gasped its’ beginning breaths, the economic downturn struck. For most shelters, that meant a drastic reduction in funding, shaved-down programs and less donations from the community. Everyone was busy trying to maintain their own financial balance during that time.
The Nest has been blessed, even during those challenging years, to always be remembered by folks in Lincoln County and Mescalero during the holidays. Y’all just made sure to take care of the women and children who found themselves living in a domestic violence shelter over those important holidays.
As this Christmas holiday approached, we were enduring a drought of sorts, a noticeable absence of gifts for our residents. During a conversation with HEAL charter board member Debbie Haines-Nix, HEAL Executive Director Coleen Widell mentioned the shelter staff’s fear that Christmas may come and go without enough presents for our kiddos or Moms at the Nest.
Nix proceeded to do what she has always done for HEAL – she rallied the troops. She notified other people and organizations and posted a plea on Facebook, which led to a flurry of others posting the Nest’s needs. In the end, when the children awoke on Christmas morning, Santa had indeed paid them a visit the night before.
Soon, wonderful gifts came through the lobby at the Nest. They included cookies & candies, kitchen items, Christmas decorations, stocking stuffers, household start-up kits for our clients, baby blankets, women’s clothing, bathrobes & slippers, scarves/mittens/ gloves, toys for our kids, brisket, canned goods, ham, stuffing, toiletries/blankets/diapers from 2nd grade students (they did this in lieu of exchanging class Christmas gifts), arts & crafts, coffee, jewelry, clothing, blankets & sheets, doll houses, watches, tote bags, beanies, homemade Christmas pillows with cases and a gorgeous homemade gingerbread house that was the envy of every child at the Nest!
Gift donors included First Alarm & Security, Christ Church of Ruidoso Downs, Tommy Darland, VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Mark & Selena Chino, First Baptist Church Ladies Group, Dan & Maria Elena Stagner of Stagner Landscaping, Penny Gardner, Georgia Guse of Guse’s Gourmet Coffee, Lynn & Mike Myers, Cornerstone Bakery, First Savings Bank, Episcopal Church, Mrs. Eggleston’s 2nd grade Class at Sierra Vista Primary School, Jenny and Gene Carpenter, the PEO Chapter, Marvel McKinney, Stephanie Harmon & Beverly Reynolds, Betsy Seiler, Michelle’s of Ruidoso, Georgia Bryant, Judy Hutchison, Sheri Rodgers, Dolores Thompson, Debbie Haines-Nix, Mercedes Fernandez Wells, Wilma and Eddie Gutierrez & family, Mackenzie Bullion, Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Boyd, and the Summer Diamond Society & Catherine Alred.
In addition to their annual Christmas donation to the children from Johnny & Teri Gray of Artesia, others brought or sent cash donations, including the children from the Hondo Valley School, who also made Christmas ornaments for the Nest’s tree as they do each year, Michelle & Cody Thurston from the Hondo Valley School, Condotel, Alto Ladies Golf, Margaret Pinto Salcido, David Gunzel, Mary Ann Siegel, Jean Spurlock, Mr. and Mrs. E. Ogden Whipple, Altrusa, Karen Becklin, Larry Mire, Marilyn Miller, Deborah Christopherson, Estella Flores for White Mountain Elementary Staff, Ed LeBlanc, Doris Schoffthaler, Doctors Frank DiMotta, M.D. & Frederick French, M.D. of the Southern NM Medical Association and the employees of Compass Bank on Sudderth and the First National Bank of Ruidoso.
The congregation at J Bar J Church decided a group that cooks together, stays together so they prepared and delivered a gigantic Christmas dinner to the residents at the Nest. A local contractor, Carl Parsons, raced to the rescue – again – when the shelter had an emergency plumbing issue right smack in the middle of our holiday celebration.
So, who are these people who came running to help the women and children at the Nest? They are your friends, your family, your co-workers. To us, they are all angels.
One small child at the shelter captured it perfectly when he said, “I knew God and Santa worked together.”
Happy New Year from HEAL and the Nest. Thank you for continuing to care.
Pictured is a gift and note for the residents of the Nest Domestic Violence Shelter from Georgia Guse, of Guse’s Gourmet Coffee in Longview WA. The note says, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I am so proud of you. We love you.”