For a group who visits and entertains some 30,000 individuals during the holidays, summertime is a time for regrouping. It’s a time for planning fundraisers, securing donations for gift bags, researching holiday songs and practicing their do, re, mis.
COURTESY HOLIDAY EXPRESS
Even the Holiday Express unofficial mascot, the Grinch, is abiding by face covering guidelines to keep the public safe from the coronavirus. Holiday Express volunteers deliver music, gifts and kindness during the holiday season.
And this year, amid the restrictions and guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, plans are marching ahead to a different tune. “There’s a lot of uncertainty going on,” said Lorrie Klaric, executive director.
Holiday Express has been delivering music, food gifts, financial support and friendship to those with the greatest need for the gift of human kindness during the holiday season and throughout the year for nearly three decades. More than 2,500 volunteers, including 150 professional rock, jazz, folk, gospel and pop musicians, make the nonprofit organization work.
Like other groups over the past few months, meetings have been held via Zoom, shifts for warehouse volunteers are staggered and workers are keeping apart the required safe distance. And plans are moving forward.
A Christmas in July Facebook Live Fundraising Event at 7 p.m. July 27 will allow visitors to virtually join Tim McLoone and guests as they perform holiday hits. The 13th annual Holiday Express Golf Classic is set for Aug. 31 at the Manasquan River Golf Club in Brielle and the annual clambake is scheduled for Sept. 13. Holiday Express remains fully committed to its mission while keeping in mind the main priority of protecting the safety of those they visit and their volunteers.
“While we don’t yet know what the circumstances will be in November and December at the 100 places we plan to visit this year, we are working on a creative approach to our 28th holiday season,” said Klaric. “Whether our events are ‘live’ or ‘virtual,’ or if our warehouse operations are subject to social distancing, we are prepared to adapt and will be ready to serve.”
For information and to register for the Holiday Express Golf Classic, visit holidayexpress.org.
The article originally appeared in the July 16 – 22, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
