Caring Women Help Bring a Joyous Holiday to the Elderly

When caring women get together for a cause, there is very little that they cannot accomplish.

This is why Cheryl Campbell, founder of The Christmas Gala, and Lori Diamond, a heartfelt artist and designer are teaming up to bring a brighter holiday to elderly people who live on minimal means in our Bucks County community.

Twelve years ago, Cheryl Campbell, and several of her friends and family members took a holiday party tradition and transformed it into a notable nonprofit, to serve the elderly. The Christmas Gala helps thousands of seniors annually.

This unique nonprofit is known for “the gift for giving all year round.”

Recognizing that many elderly people live on fixed incomes, or they are alone, they appreciate the year-long gift giving from Campbell and the other kind-hearted donors to this charitable group. This year, it is all about an apparel item that we all associate with comfort – specially-designed socks!

Upper Dublin artist Lori Diamond of LoriDiamondArt enjoys using her gift of design as a vehicle to make a difference in the world. When she heard about The Christmas Gala, she was inspired to form a collaboration with Campbell.

These two remarkable women put their heads together and agreed to set up ‘Socks for a Cause,’ a great fundraiser to sell 100 pairs of socks with 25 percent of the sales going to help fund the various Christmas Gala programs.

“There is a tremendous amount of time, energy, and graphic help that goes into each design creation,” explained Diamond. “I appreciate the people that work with me, as well as the deeply-caring collaborating businesses and nonprofits.”

“With COVID-19 draining joy from our lives during these troubled times, I felt compelled to create a product that would bring back our smiles,” Diamond said. “I believe when you put on my socks, they bring that cozy, comfortable and loving feeling that we are all yearning for right now.”

Diamond’s philanthropic endeavors have also attracted the attention of Jan Weiss, owner of Berta Sawyer, a sophisticated women’s dress shop in Jenkintown, PA. As a result, Weiss has graciously offered to sell these socks at her shop and donate 25 percent of the proceeds to The Christmas Gala.

Diamond and Weiss first met when the designer purchased a sapphire blue gown at Berta Sawyer for her daughter’s wedding.

They discussed if Weiss would be willing to sell her fabric masks, and special socks to celebrate front line medical workers. They also discussed Diamond’s mission to support The Christmas Gala and raise much-needed money to help many seniors.

“Jan liked the idea and she agreed to sell my limited edition socks in her amazing dress shop,” Diamond said. “I am honored to be in such a well-established shop.”

The Christmas Gala programs involved are all about giving away items to elderly people ages 60 and older that would be most useful in everyday lives.

“We try to fill needs for such items as beds, hearing aids, medications, and air conditioners, as well as basic necessities, which include blankets and toiletries,” Campbell said. “Many of the elderly in our community have no one to support them with day-to-day activities, and know that we are here for them.”

Campbell has many programs that serve local seniors. One of the most popular offerings is the Angel Program in which the nonprofit gave away more than 1,500 gifts in 2019; each gift valued between $50 and $150.00. “All of these are items that our seniors won’t buy, or cannot afford to buy, for themselves.”

One of the newer programs, known as Surprise a Senior, has been involved in delivering 1,800 care packages in 2020.

Throughout the year, The Christmas Gala has more than 80 team members. “We are so appreciative to the thousands of people who donate and help us with our mission every year, and we are happy to work with LoriDiamondArt in selling socks to help our seniors,” Campbell explained.

To order socks to benefit The Christmas Gala please go to the following Facebook link: https://fb.me/e/1UzoopdSX

For further information please email Cheryl Campbell at thechristmasgala@comcast.net, or call her at 267-549-7602.