12/31/2025
Happy Holidays! We finished our fourth and last delivery on the 23rd. We owe a massive thank you to many people. We delivered gifts to over 515 kids this year at four local Boys and Girls Club locations: Blackhawk, Carlson, Flodin, and Stenstrom. The kids and teens were overjoyed, and we are grateful to be doing this project in Ellen Gilbert's honor for four years. This year, it took many hands to put the gifts together, and we especially want to thank Don and Denise Roloff, Gay Rotello, Jennifer Roloff Welch, Kathy Lewandowski, Camren Lewandowski, and Ryan Welch. We are grateful for everyone who donated to our project this year. This list has grown exponentially each year. Donors include Love, Ellen Inc., John and Diantha Gilbert, Don and Denise Roloff, Erica Moore Schwartz, Kathy Lewandowski, Sue Owens Needham, Dawn Ruscitti Thomas, Kathy and John Alexander, Juliette Strombeck and family, Charlie and Lisa Alexander, Brian Thiede and family, Becky Hybarger Zehe, Emily Rotello Drennan, Michelle Rotert, Mindy Stevens, Cathy Phillips, Chris Meiter and Joann Heck Meiter, Tori Davidson, Tiffany Goellner Bowers, Deb Galluzzo, and Jenni, Ellie, and Ryan Welch. If we have inadvertently left anyone off this list, we will correct it as soon as we can. Thank you to the Boys and Girls Clubs across Rockford for allowing us to spread Ellen's light and love.
