Holiday Cheer Brigade recruiting donations for military families

Some military families will have a brighter Christmas season with work of the eighth annual Holiday Cheer Brigade.

“Please join us as we ensure a happy holiday for local soldiers and their families who are experiencing hard times,” city event and volunteer coordinator Gayle Milam said. The City of Madison, National Guard and Army Reserve collaborate for the brigade.

The City Clerk’s office in City Hall will accept monetary gifts through Dec. 4. Residents can take gift cards, toys, clothing and food to Dublin Park through Dec. 6.

For anonymity, the military alphabet identifies each family. Donors can specify gifts to a particular family.

Soldiers Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta are single mothers.

Soldier Alpha is unemployed with a six-year-old son, who wears size 7/8 pants and shirt and child’s 13 or 1 shoes. This family also needs toys, food and money. The child’s favorite color is blue.

Soldier Bravo has a four-year-old son and also lacks steady employment. The boy wears 5T pants and shirts and child’s 12 shoe.

After military service for four years, Soldier Charlie was put on bed rest for seven months and faces another five months after an upcoming surgery. Her one-year-old son hopes for a Christmas tree. He wears 12-18 month clothing and toddler’s 5 shoes.

For 19 years, Solider Delta has served in the U.S. Army but now doesn’t earn enough to care for her 10-year-old daughter, who desperately needs a winter coat and undergarments. She wears size 12 clothing and size 5 shoes and loves American Girl dolls.

Soldier Echo and his wife have a 10-year-old son, whose mother surrendered him to foster care in Utah. The soldier’s wife is a heart patient and insulin-dependent diabetic. The boy wears size 10 pants (with elastic sides and loop-button closures), size 10-12 shirts and size 2 shoes. The family needs food and Christmas gifts for son.

Volunteers will wrap gifts on Dec. 7 at 8:30 a.m. at Dublin Park and then deliver presents for dispersal .

For more information, call Milam at 256-772-2557 or Debbie Overcash at 256-772-0307.