Gift bags for middle schoolers
Kathe Alves, TWOQC Program Chair; and Sue Ann Obremski, YOTO Chair
On Dec. 9, The Women of Quail Creek (TWOQC) celebrated the upcoming holiday season with a delicious meal, delightful entertainment provided by Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo Magnet High school, a multiple award-winning Tucson high school performing group. Dressed in elaborate traje de charro costumes, they entertained the enthusiastic crowd with traditional mariachi music.
Many ladies enjoyed having their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a.k.a. Quail Creek residents Tom and Patti Ballowe. Check the beautiful photos of the holiday decorations and the creative display of YOTO donations taken by TWOQC photographer, Eileen Sykora (click on the Photo Gallery tab at www.womenqc.com). Everyone seemed to enjoy the chicken piccata and wild rice lunch and chocolate ice cream sundae for dessert. The Robson banquet staff served the 256 ladies filling the ballroom that included members, guests, and new members, with their warm smiles and attentive service.
Youth on Their Own’s (YOTO) CEO Elizabeth Slater, Bethany Neumann, Director of Development, and Alfred, YOTO Ambassador (a YOTO graduate), said they were “blown away” with TWOQC’s continued generosity.
“It was truly heartwarming to see the massive number of gifts stacked in front of the stage as well as a cute snowman in the back of the room. Frosty the Snowman was surrounded by some of the 214 blankets and gift cards (the overflow was stacked on a nearby table) for the high school students, and 216 holiday gift bags for middle school students decorated the front of the stage,” said Obremski.
“We also had $700 in donations, which meant that every YOTO middle school student in Pima County received a holiday bag, and TWOQC provided blanket/gift cards for 216 of the 1496 total YOTO high school students in the program. We transported all the gifts to the facility in Tucson with the help of a Quail Creek catering truck and three TWOQC members’ SUVs. We were greeted at the YOTO facility by 24 volunteers who helped unload the vehicles and got everything packed and ready to hand out to students the next day,” she added.
“We want to thank all of the TWOQC members and the community who filled a holiday bag, donated a blanket/gift card, and cash donations that helped make the holiday season special to these YOTO students,” Obremski added.