Christmas in Kalskag 2014

Christmas gifts began to flood into Kalskag through many Secret Santa’s shortly around Thanksgiving and throughout December.  On December 20^th 240 Kalskag Children were blessed with a special gift just for them.  The enormous project to give a Christmas gift to every child (ages 0-18) in Kalskag began in July.  Pastors and friends across the nation were requested to support the project through letters, social media such as Facebook, and pleas from the pulpits.  In October, each “Secret Santa” was given the first name of a child, his or her age/grade, sizes and an idea on what the child would like.  Several families from the prior year wanted to support the project again and requested the same children they “adopted” in 2013.  By Thanksgiving all but 18 children were adopted for a gift.  With another key leader on board a plea was sent out through Facebook and within 3 hours all 18 children were covered.

 

The gifts began arriving by plane in late November.  Northern Air Cargo and Ryan Air graciously donated freight from Anchorage to Kalskag to deliver the boxes for the High School students.

             

 

Plane delivering boxes

 

Boxes coming off plane

 

Loading boxes in trucks

 

Loading boxes in cars

 
 
 

The small Calvary Mission chapel began to be filled up with boxes…and boxes….and more boxes….

 

Children were waiting for Christmas to come!

 

Gifts were given out December 20^th and 21^st.  There were so many happy faces from babies to Seniors in High School!

 

Pastor Mark Ausdahl & I thank all of you for participating in Christmas in Kalskag.

 

Other projects that Calvary Mission does in Kalskag.

 

2015 Care Package to Kalskag

Care Package Needs in Kalskag:

Shelly Blocker

P.O. Box 68
Kalskag, AK 99607

Most things can be sent in a Flat rate priority box or other boxes parcel post (it gets here close to the same as priority because it has to be flown in)

Here are a few suggestions – maybe you can think of other things to add

Ministry Needs 

• Coffee
• Coffee filters
• Creamer (flavored small containers, or powder. Hazelnut or French Vanilla seems to be a favorite)
• Herbal Tea
• Hot Cocoa
• Raw sugar packets
• Cookies
• Wrapped candies (salt water taffy, mini snack size, like hershey’s or choc. Kisses etc, my personal favorites are mint kisses)
• Small paper plates or pretty napkins or holiday napkins
• Fruit snacks
• Nuts (cashews or almonds are a favorite)
• Goldfish cracker packets
• Saltine Crackers
• Ritz crackers
• Microwave popcorn
• Crystal Light
• Brownie mix
• Cake mixes & frosting
• Did I mention Coffee?
• Bible I can give out if needed
• Tracts
• Composition notebooks (to use for journals that I can give away)
• Knit gloves or socks I can give away or knit hats – there is no place to buy these things in the village
• Lip balm
• Oh, yea, coffee (everyone drinks it around here and they believe they will convert me! At least I can have it for them.  I’ll stick with hot cocoa, tea or sugar free cider packets)

Office supplies

• List paper
• Pens
• Copy paper to put in printer
• Staples
• Batteries, AAA, AA, D, C
• Sticky note pads

 Cleaning supplies or bathroom supplies

• Lysol
• Hand Sanitizer
• Hand wipes or disinfectant wipes
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper (even if you stuff in 1 roll into the box for packing)
• Hand soap (I like Bath & body Works anti-bacterial hand soaps and hand sanitizer)
• Nice smelling lotion
• Shower gel
• Shaving gel
• Razors
• Deodorant – secret unscented solid
• Toothpaste – aqua fresh whitener
• Floss tape
• Airborne
• Zicam dissolvable tablets (orange)
• Band-Aids

 

Consumable Food Supplies

• Tomato Paste/Sauce
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Noodles
• Seasoning packets: taco, Italian, fried rice, burrito, enchilada, other seasonings for rice dishes, sloppy joe, shake & bake, gravy, active yeast, chili mix
• Jello or pudding boxes
• Mac & cheese box
• Bisquick mix
• Muffin mix (just add water may be best)
• Pizza crust mix
• Dry soup mixes (Like Bear Creek or similar)
• Chex snack mix
• Chewy granola bars
• Trail mix/fruit & nut mix
• Vitamin C
• Gummi multi vitamins
• Dinner in a box: Send a dinner & desert I can make (probably non-perishable items, I can find meat, eggs or other perishable things here). 

We have a potluck every Sunday after church, so ideas and recipes and basic ingredients to share a meat-less side. Ground beef is $8/lb.  Other people bring the moose roasts, salmon or beaver meat dishes

 

Other ideas

• Your Pastor’s Sermon recording on CD’s or mp3’s on cd
• Amazon gift cards or online credit (I can order just about anything and get free shipping)
• Music: I love Jesus culture or contemporary Christian, or a CD of your worship service
• Scentsy wax (I lean toward flowery smells or cooking smells like cinnamon rolls although I like the DUKE scent)
• A good book you may have read lately (obviously can be used)
• List of websites or blogs you like (I don’t have time to research)
• Twin sheets (I have a purple comforter)
• Full Sheets for my futon
• Letters & encouraging notes, even a newspaper to keep up on what is going on outside
• LED light in case power goes out

Monetary Support

• A monetary gift can be sent to Calvary Mission, PO Box 99, Kalskag, AK  99607 to be used for fuel oil ($6.25 per gallon and I have two 55 gallon drums) or toward my rent.  Just make a note that it is for Shelly Blocker. The church phone is 907-471-2327, ask for Pastor Mark.

• An ongoing monthly support can be sent directly to me at the address above or deposited into my bank account (WSECU or MVFCU or Alaska USA). Contact me for details.  I don't get any paychecks during the summer months so I need to raise my own support in June, July & August.

Thank you!!