Wharton PJ drive aimed at helping displaced youth
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

While knowing her calling was to help children, it was an episode of the popular daytime program "Oprah" that provided Emily Gertson with the means of expressing that faith.

"Oprah had a show about doing for others and one of the volunteers highlighted was a woman who collected pajamas for Child Protective Services to distribute to children who had to be removed from their homes," Gertson said.

And thus the inaugural Wharton Pajama Drive was put in motion. This year, Gertson, along with her neighbor Shelley DeLuna, are heading up the Second Annual Wharton Pajama Drive. Gertson said the drive will be collecting pajamas and stuffed animals for distribution to children.

"For a lot of these children, being removed from their home is a traumatic experience," she said. "And a lot of them have been neglected without enough to eat or wear. Some don't even know what pajamas are. So getting a new pair of pajamas to sleep in that first night, and maybe a soft toy to cuddle, will help them feel a little better, feel that someone cares enough about them to give them something new and a sense of self worth."

Gertson is a former school teacher - she taught fourth grade at Newgulf Elementary and is now a stay at home mom with two sons.

"As a teacher, I was aware there was a need," she said. "I had students wearing the same clothes two, three or more days in a row because that was all they had," she said. "Or they didn't have enough to eat. And occasionally I'd try to help."

Working mostly by word of mouth last year, Gertson was able to collect about 100 pairs of pajamas she turned over to CPS. She said it took about two months for them to all be distributed. So this year she's hoping to up the ante.

"The goal is to collect enough so that every child receives something this year," she said. "Actually, if we receive enough donations, we'd like to be able to supply CPS and distribute the rest among the foster homes in the area."

While accepting donations at her home, or providing pick up when she can, Gertson said she's grateful to Caney Creek Church, where she attends services, for being a drop off location for the project.

"It will make it easier for people to drop off donations because they generally have someone there from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays."

When someone is considering making a donation, Gertson said she gets plenty of donations for smaller children, donations in larger sizes to fit teens are less frequently received but just as important.

Those not imaking a purchase but with an interest in making a donation, Gertson said a check made out to Caney Creek Church with the designation of pajama project on the information line will go toward filling in the gaps other donations don't fill.

For more information, to make a donation or to volunteer, contact Gertson by calling 531-9565.