By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON - It was a cold Christmas Eve in 2005 when a local couple, the wife about to deliver, and their two young boys rushed into Cooley Dickinson Hospital's Childbirth Center ready to welcome the newest addition to their family.
Norma Galko, who was working as a charge nurse that night, said soon after they arrived it became apparent to staffers that the family was without a car and had no way of transporting their two boys back home in time for Christmas morning.
"So here it was, Christmas Eve and they had no tree, no gifts, no nothing, and it didn't sound like their kids were going to get much of anything at home," Galko said.
What happened next, she said, was nothing short of a holiday miracle.
Night nurses and overnight staff members pooled their pocket money, pulled a couple of decorative stockings off the wall and called the local police department to see what they could do to.
"The police officers brought down toys for them and somewhere, I don't know where, they found a Santa Claus outfit and someone came in dressed as Santa to deliver the gifts," Galko said. "We sent our night secretary down to Cumberland Farms and she was able to stuff two stockings for the boys."
After seeing the impact that a little holiday spirit could have on the lives of the less fortunate, Galko said, night nurses in the department have done something special each year during the holiday season.
Two years ago, as they celebrated their annual holiday party at a city restaurant, night nurses pooled a little bit of money together and gave it all to their waitress as a present, she said.
"It really just blew her mind," Galko said. "She was so thankful. It was great."
Keeping the tradition going, the same group of night nurses made an $80 donation to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, which each year helps provide gifts to area residents who might not otherwise be able to provide them.
"Since that night we have tried to do something special every Christmas," Galko said.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Toy Fund details
Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the Toy Fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers to families for each child from ages 1 to 14. Eligible families in all Hampshire County communities, except Ware, may participate, as well as families in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury and Leverett.
Berkshire Children and Families, at 220 Russell St. in Hadley, is accepting applications for vouchers. The last day to apply is Friday.
The vouchers will be distributed in batches as they are processed, and all should be mailed by Dec. 15 to give families enough time to shop.
Families can use the vouchers to buy holiday gifts at participating stores by midnight on Dec. 24.
The following stores are participating this year: A2Z Science and Learning Store, 57 King St., Northampton; Deals & Steals, 76 Pleasant St., Northampton; Faces, 175 Main St., Northampton; F.J. Rogers, 3 Main St., Florence; JCPenney, 341 Russell St., Hadley; Mountain Goat, 189 Main St., Northampton; Target, Route 9, Hadley; The Toy Box, 201 North Pleasant St., Amherst; and Wilson's Department Store, 258 Main St., Greenfield.
Donations to the Toy Fund may be dropped off at or mailed to the Daily Hampshire Gazette at 115 Conz St., Northampton, 01060, or Gazette offices at 67 Main St., Easthampton, or 100 University Drive, Amherst. Donations may also be made through GazetteNET. Checks should be made payable to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund.
TODAY'S DONORS
In memory of Homer R. Dushane from wife Jane#$25
In memory of Joe Dembek from sister Jane Dushane#$25
From Susan Riter and Sarah Neely#$20
In memory of Mike Shea, Madeline Roberts and Duke Ducharme#$25
From Richard and Susan Knapp#$35
From Augie#$200
From Peter & Deborah Christakos#$100
From Sharon and Donald Siegel#$50
From Julia Riseman & Nicholas Horton#$50
In loving memory of Aunti Annie from Kaitlin and Nick#$50
In honor of Marsha Ciaschini from the Peter Kelley family#$25
In commemoration of our mother Monica K. O'Leary, U.S. Army station in Afghanastan & our dad U.S. Army N.C.O. Brian O'Leary N.C.O. Ft. Drumm, New York for the children, from Gramma Marianne O'Leary of Sunderland and Brian, Jarrius, Annette & Patrick O'Leary, of Watertown, New York#$15
In memory of Cave & Lewis families from Morris Cave #$50
In memory of the members of Joel Hayden Chapter No. 171, now Arcana Chapter No. 50, Order of the Eastern Star in Greenfield, from Esther J. William, P.M. Secretary, Arcana Chapter No. 50 O.E.S.#$50
In grateful and loving memory of my parents Lois and Mike Meunier, as well as my brother, Michael Meunier#$50
In memory of Jaju, who loved to hand out the toys#$100
This is the fourth year of our annual donation to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund in memory of our son Nicholas. We give this gift every year just before St. Nicholas Day in hopes that our gift will help a life just like St. Nicholas did long before Christmas existed as a holiday. Our son was named Nicholas in hopes that his memory and our actions to perpetuate his memory would help children everywhere in some small special way from Jonathan & Katie Edwards, Whately#$75
Previous Total#$4,622.25
Today's Total#$945.00
Year-To-Date Total#$5,567.25
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
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