The Empty Stocking Gala is the Calhoun County event to take part in.  After all, it’s not ultimately designed to give the folks that attend it an evening of great food, spirits, and entertainment–although all three of those boxes certainly get checked.  It’s actually an evening to raise funds to provide Christmas gifts for the children residing in Calhoun and Cleburne Counties who are currently in foster care under DHR custody.  While this premier event of the season was canceled for 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the board of directors for the Empty Stocking Gala still went about fundraising with local businesses, sponsors, and former supporters of the charity.  They were able to provide every single foster child a Christmas gift for both years.  Now the excitement is high as the 33rd Annual Empty Stocking Gala will take place this year as a live event on Friday, November 4th from 7pm-11:30pm at the Anniston City Meeting Center in downtown Anniston, Alabama.

All About the Children

The Empty Stocking Gala would likely not have endured as long as it has–since 1989 to be exact–if not for the cause.  This charity is designed to make sure that every foster child living in Calhoun County or Cleburne County receives Christmas gifts.  The very first event, organized by Sue Taylor and Colleen Roberts, actually raised $11,000 to go to this amazing cause.  Now, the yearly average sum raised is a staggering $40,000, which not only covers the cost of filling the wish lists of foster kids ages 1-18 (up to $100-$150 per child), but the left-over funds are distributed to other local charities.  Those have included the YMCA Boys Club, the Anniston Soup Bowl, Little Tree, and local nursing homes, among others.

The board for the Empty Stocking Gala and other volunteers get to play the role of Santa’s Elves once the funds have been raised.  Armed with the childrens’ wish lists, (which are collected by DHR workers who collaborate with the children and their foster parents), the Empty Stocking volunteers make a trip to Walmart and spend 4-5 hours of blocked off time gathering the gifts on the list. In general, they’ll try to fill a bigger item on the child’s wish list–some popular items include ipods, games for playstations, etc.  If the $100-$150 has not all been spent, they’ll include smaller items like books.  Whatever they receive, this charity ensures that these precious children all get to experience the joys that any child should on Christmas morning.

With leftover funds, volunteers also make a point of providing gifts to indigent patients in local nursing homes such as socks, robes, slippers, t-shirts, or other essentials.