Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana hosts annual Christmas to Remember Event

A little piece of the North Pole has made its way to the Region, with a very long ‘nice list’ for Santa. On Thursday, December 4, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana (BGCGNWI) hosted its eighth annual Christmas to Remember event, welcoming nearly 500 children for an evening of holiday joy many may not otherwise experience.

Children ages 5–18 from nine Boys & Girls Club locations across Lake and Porter counties received personalized gifts, dinner, and a night of festive activities made possible through generous community partners, donors, and volunteers. Each child got to open a bag of presents handpicked just for them that included $100 worth of clothing and $50 worth of toys. Santa’s elves, otherwise known as kindhearted volunteers, wrapped more than 4,000 presents to prepare for the big night. 

“This year’s event is so special because it brings all nine of our clubs together as one big family,” said Mike Jessen, President & CEO of BGCGNWI. “When you look at bringing 500 kids who are here to receive gifts from a very specific wish list they put together, and to see them open their gifts, to see them thrilled about all of those gifts, it’s so worthwhile. There’s something really magical about the entire experience. For many of our kids who might not experience Christmas the way a lot of others do, it’s a wonderful opportunity to bring a little joy into their lives. In many cases, it helps lift the burden off their families, and that makes it extra special.”

Children got to meet Santa, open presents, color thank-you cards, and enjoy pizza and cookies. There were lots of smiles, laughter, and wrapping paper. 

“This event is wonderful. We get to experience the joy that we can provide to all these children,” said Rene Martin, Chair of the board. “The shoppers do a phenomenal job going through the list and making sure the kids get both what they need and want. It’s an amazing experience for the kids, for the volunteers, and it really puts a spirit back into Christmas.”

Volunteers played a major role in the event, with a record number posted at different stations. Some helped kids open presents, while others passed out pizza or supervised the writing of thank-you letters to Santa.

“It bleeds our hearts because it’s for the kids — the donations and the volunteerism,” said Paul Dawning, Vice Chair. “We had over 250 folks volunteer for this and 500 kids participated. It’s an amazing show of how much we care about kids.”

The event was made possible by generous event sponsors, individual donors, and hundreds of volunteers. Centier Bank, Anonymous Santa, Meijer, Werner Christmas Wonderland, UChicago Medicine Crown Point, and M.E. Simpson Co. were among the event’s sponsors. 

Werner Christmas Wonderland provided roughly 90% of the toys given out to the kids. Werner Christmas Wonderland began collecting toys years ago after visitors asked Daniel Werner how to support his annual holiday light display. He said he didn’t want any monetary donations, but told people to donate toys instead. Today, they partner with 25–30 local businesses to donate toys directly to children. 

“It’s a way to give back to the community. We love seeing these kids. It’s good to see smiles bringing holiday cheer. I believe that if you’re a good person and if you do good things, it’ll come back to you. I want to get as many people on board to get this to grow every year. The more joy we can bring to these kids, the better for all of us,” Werner said. 

For 8-year-old Club member Arianna, the highlight of her night was simple—hair curlers and Christmas cookies. Other children proudly showed off new keyboards, dinosaurs, Barbies, baseball bats, boots, coats, and more. 

The event was truly magical. Even the Grinch had a good time. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana provides safe and enriching environments for young people, offering programs focused on academic success, character and leadership development, and healthy lifestyles. Serving nearly 8,500 youth annually throughout Lake and Porter Counties, the organization is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. 

To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana and support their mission, please visit bgcgreaternwi.org or stop by your local Club.