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There was a day late in the summer when all seemed gloomy to me. The weather was warm but overcast. I made my way into the Gabriel Project of West Virginia's Wheeling site which is located inside the St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church at 1409 Chapline St. The church generously provides the space for the project.
FYI: The Gabriel Project helps local families with babies have a healthy, safe start in life. It provides basic necessities including diapers, wipes, clothing and formula free of charge. The focus is on the infant through toddler stages of life.
Other items, including car seats, cribs and Pack 'n Plays are available for a nominal fee. Volunteers man the site on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m. with appointments urged by calling 304-639-5039. However, walk-ins are welcome.
Words cannot truly express the gratitude the families and the volunteers have for those folks who donate to make the project viable. This includes the many churches, social organizations, school children and individuals who hold diaper drives and other collections to support the Gabriel Project.
And the families who are helped also pay it forward by donating their children's outgrown clothing to help stock the shelves. As the colder months approach, the Gabriel Project will be looking for donations of baby quilts and fleece blankets in addition to warm clothing items.
The volunteers for the Gabriel Project see firsthand the need. The clients share their stories of trying to make ends meet in today's economy when paychecks are stretched to the limit. Sometimes they simply want reassurance that they are doing their best. We can be good listeners and cheerleaders.
On that particular gloomy summer day, we were kept busy with numerous visitors seeking the usual items. We had just received a generous donation of new clothing items including some colorful dresses in several sizes. A little girl came in with her mother and together they selected some clothes.
The little girl was so excited to find a dress in her size and a smaller one for her sister. She carried them on their hangers to the car where her grandmother and baby sister were waiting.
The excitement in that little girl's voice as she showed her grandmother the dresses was enough to push the gloom from the day. It was truly " joy in the morning."
Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.