REGIONAL – One of the best memories of home for the holidays is coming downstairs on Christmas morning and seeing what Santa Claus left in the stockings. There was candy and small gifts, maybe a new winter hat and gloves. It was delightful to pour out the stocking on the rug in front of the fireplace.
Starting this week on Veterans Day, Battle Grounds Coffee Company will be collecting and distributing holiday stockings to local Veteran Service Centers and veteran organizations like Veterans Northeast Outreach Center, VFW Lorriane Post 29 and AMVets Post 147.
It is the third year local veteran Donnie Jarvis, a Triton graduate who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, will honor local veterans with stuffed stockings for the holiday season. Last year, Jarvis, who was wounded in Afghanistan, handed out close to 100 stockings filled with extra Halloween candy, socks, personal hygiene products, hand sanitizers and small gifts. He is also hoping that blankets will be donated for the veterans.
This year he expects the number to be more. He has been told one donor is giving 100 stockings. “The response has been great,” Jarvis said.
Asked how the veterans reacted last year, he said, “They love it.”
“It’s nothing big,” he said. Jarvis suggests a donor should spend no more than $20. “That’s the point. It’s a little gesture,” he said. “The intent is for these Christmas stockings to provide some additional holiday cheer this year to our local veterans.”
Other items for the stocking could be thank you cards, hygiene products (male and female), gift cards and puzzles.
To donate a stuffed stocking, drop off at any of the three Battle Grounds locations at 39 Washington St. Haverhill, 33 Pleasant St. Newburyport or the new shop in Cedardale at 931 Boston Rd, Bradford.
All the locations will be collecting stockings from Nov. 11 to Dec. 11.
If you or your organization wishes to donate a large number of Christmas stockings at one time, coordinate with Jarvis, who can be reached by email at jarvis.don@gmail.com.
