‘More Than a Gift’
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Volunteers lined the entrance to the Pavilion at Churchill Downs for the Christ Chapel Christmas party on Monday, Dec. 12.
Ninety-three families who attend church on the backside were treated to a special dinner and a time of gift giving.
Guests sat at decorated tables, talking and laughing as Chaplain Ken Boehm called their names and numbers.
When it was their turn, guests walked with their families and escorts to the employee café at Churchill, which was decorated for the special night. Stacks of gifts, each
one specifically purchased for families and individuals at Christ Chapel, were organized on the floor.
Their names were among the 784 men, women and children that Southeast families, groups and individuals purchased gifts for this year.
Many volunteered to help at the Christmas parties so they could learn more about partners in the community and meet people in that ministry.
Volunteers dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus sat at one end of the room so children could get their picture taken with Santa.
Wide-eyed children followed parents, who seemed overwhelmed as they caught a glimpse of the gift room.
Most of the members at Christ Chapel work and live on the backside as groomers, trainers and hot walkers. Now that the racing season is over, life on the backside is
quiet. Many have left to work at racetracks in Florida, but many have decided to stay in Louisville to raise their families.
Raul Vizcarrondo, an exercise rider from Puerto Rico, stayed in Louisville after the racing season ended this year.
He wants to settle in one place with his family. Attending Christ Chapel was a big factor in his decision.
“This is amazing,” was all he could say as he walked into the room with his three children.
Southeast member Phil Miller came to the party with his community group.
“We chose the names of four single men at Christ Chapel,” he said. “This time the guys in our group did the shopping, and we had a ball. We will celebrate Christmas
with our own families, but this is special.”
Southeast member Lowell Grady was there with his small group. His ties to Christ Chapel run deep, as he and his wife, Shelby, volunteer year-round, running the
clothes closet at Christ Chapel every other week. He saw familiar faces in the crowd.
“This is an incredible ministry,” he said. “It’s fun to be here.”
Maria Gonzales came to the Christmas party with her two children.
“This means a lot,” she said. “There are no words to explain what it means to have presents for the little ones. This year we stayed at Churchill Downs to raise our
family.”
National Guard Staff Sgt. Jarrod Blanford came to the Christmas party in fatigues.
He is on active duty, and he chose a family at Christ Chapel when he talked with Local Missions in the atrium at Southeast. He has served in Japan, Haiti, Afghanistan
and Iraq.
“It’s amazing to be here tonight,” he said. “I wanted to meet the family I chose. This makes Christmas for me.”
After the holidays, Blanford will be deployed. Someday, when his days of active duty are done, he would like to volunteer for mission work.
Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day and his wife, Sheila, came to support the outreach, mingling with families as they ate dinner.
“This is great,” Pat said. “The church is incredibly giving. The support we get in the community for this ministry is second to none. God is doing amazing things here.”
Boehm said it was a night families in his church will never forget.
“This was done with such love, such an outpouring of Christ’s love,” he said. “Many of our members have never experienced that before.”