Wingate coach brings team to Christmas Bureau; volunteers describe hands-on impact

Delaney Shappert, associate head women’s lacrosse coach at Wingate, said she brought members of the school’s women’s lacrosse program to volunteer at the Christmas Bureau after seeing a roadside sign and deciding the team should “give back to the community.”

Volunteers described hands-on tasks at the Christmas Bureau including making gift bags for children, packing food for families and helping at distribution events. "At the Christmas Bureau, you are able to help make bags for the children, pack the food for the families, get to see them when you distribute it," a commenter said.

Why it matters: volunteers said the experience lets student-athletes and community members see the immediate effect of local holiday assistance and fosters community ties. "My favorite part about volunteering is meeting people in the community even though it's on the phone ... it's really nice to meet families and see their appreciation," another commenter said.

Shappert described how she found the organization: "I was just driving through one of the back roads, and I saw the sign of the Christmas Bureau. It caught my attention." She said she looks for team volunteer opportunities and believed the bureau was a natural fit.

Speakers described the work as meaningful for both volunteers and recipients. One volunteer said the experience "truly helps you to look at the world in a different way and see the impact that one community can have on the lives of somebody." The remarks were delivered during public comment and focused on volunteer experience and community impact rather than formal agenda business.

No formal action, funding decision or ordinance related to the Christmas Bureau was discussed during these remarks.