Catholic Charities' Christmas gift coordinator brings joy to the holiday season needy
For the last 15 years, Hawthorn Woods resident Jim Wogan has played Santa Claus to make sure needy children and families across Lake County have presents for Christmas.
As the gift program coordinator for Catholic Charities in Waukegan, his experiences during those years were so heartwarming and joyous that he continued as coordinator for two years after his retirement.
But it was at the start of this year that brought a new emotion: immense sorrow.
Wogan made a sad discovery when he walked into the program's Lewis Avenue warehouse in May: Hundreds of gifts that were to be part of the 2014 Christmas collection had been stolen.
"That was heartbreaking for a lot of my volunteers," Wogan said. "It was kind of a kick in the teeth and you feel that you've been undercut."
The discovery would require renewed determination and a belief in the help of others.
A grandfather of six who served as an Army officer for 24 years, Wogan later taught in the Chicago school system and worked full time with Catholic Charities as volunteer coordinator.
This year is the organization's 67th annual Celebration of Giving Christmas gift drive, which was expected to help 16,000 people in Lake County. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago helps families without regard to religious, ethnic or economic backgrounds.
"I love doing it because it is really gratifying to see people who might not have anything else for Christmas get some gifts from us and to see the gratitude on their faces," Wogan said.
He organizes 300 volunteers who assess individuals' needs, solicit gifts, work with donors, sort donations at the Waukegan warehouse, and distribute gifts to needy recipients.
Hearing about the thefts, individuals and organizations from around Lake County stepped up and took up the challenge to help.
For example, students at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire collected gifts for 290 families during the school's annual Give-A-Thon - more than any previous donation drive.
St. Mary of Vernon Catholic Church in Indian Creek held Gift Sunday on Dec. 7, when the congregation provided presents for more than 1,100 people. During Mass, a special offertory was held and children and adults walked up with colorful, wrapped gifts and piled them around the altar.
"It's overwhelming. As people are bringing gifts up, a lot of people are sitting in their seats with tears running down their eyes," said Wogan, a deacon at the church. "This is a great outpouring of love."
During several days earlier this month, clients came to the distribution center in Waukegan and left with presents and a smile, knowing Christmas will be a little merrier because of the work of Catholic Charities.
And Wogan also has a large grin. Even after the loss of so many presents, Catholic Charities was still able to reach its goal because of the generosity of many friends, families, volunteers and people who wanted to help.
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