Editor,

For the past 12 years, the Readiness To Learn Foundation has made a commitment to make the Christmas season a little brighter for families in need on Whidbey Island. Each December, compassionate and caring community members, businesses and organizations come together through the two Holiday House programs to ensure that the children of our community can experience the magic and joy of Christmas.

This year, Holiday House North once again made Christmas possible for 213 families and 555 children in the North and Central Whidbey communities.

On their behalf, I would like to take a brief moment to recognize the generosity and dedication of those organizations and individuals who do the hard work behind the scenes to make the magic happen.

For family outreach, island wide collaboration and coordination, we extend our gratitude to Toys for Tots, Whidbey Hope for Christmas, South Whidbey Holiday House, the South Whidbey Family Resource Center, Coupeville Public Schools, Oak Harbor Public Schools, ECEAP, Compass Health, Island County Housing Support Center, Help House and the Garage of Blessings.

For our facility, we would like to thank Oak Harbor Public Schools. For the beautiful decorations that have made the Holiday House more than just a basic building these past many years, we would like to thank the youth from OHPS Honor Society, the youth of the Church of Latter Day Saints and the youth from Church on the Rock.

For the stockings and beautiful array of gift wrapping materials that make each present a special treat, we would like to thank June Zacharias, the De Santiago Family and the many volunteers who spent hours wrapping each gift with love and thoughtfulness.

We would especially like to recognize Tom and Bobbi Bond of the Toys for Tots Foundation and their predecessors, the late Mike McClung and his gracious wife, Re McClung, for the overwhelming support these many years through gift collection and contribution. Without the support of Toys for Tots, the Holiday House program would not be possible.

Last, but not least, for the hours upon hours of leadership, volunteer coordination, set up, operation, dismantle and unrelenting grace in serving each family, we are eternally grateful to Christina Wertz and her children, Julie and Phil Balasa and their children, Helen Hollabaugh, June Zacharias, Ramona Ferguson, Janet Birchfield and Front Street Realty, Maria Hazelo and Lilian Poulsen.

For the hundreds, if not thousands of wonderful people that are not mentioned here, that have made Holiday House North possible these past many years, and for those of you that are committed to this cause for all the years to come, thank you, thank you, thank you from depths of our overflowing hearts.

Vivian Rogers Decker

Coupeville