Christmas Morning

HAGERSTOWN -- It was early October when Kathy Woodson placed a big cardboard box inside the doorway of Zion Baptist Church and attached a sign asking for toy donations. Each week, she passed by the box and gradually watched it begin to fill. First, there were a few books and board games and an occasional doll. By Nov. 8, it was bursting at the seams. When the final tally was in, close to 100 toys had been donated to Toys for Tots. Santa Claus had been given a run for his money.

Jack Harbaugh knew long ago that his son would make an excellent NFL coach. The only question was whether John Harbaugh would ever get the chance to prove his father right. Jack Harbaugh was coaching at Western Michigan in the mid-1980s when John joined the staff as an assistant. Father and son would ride back and forth to work every day, and football was usually the main topic of conversation. "You could see then that he had a love and a real passion for the game, not only the X's and O's, but he cared deeply about the players he coached," Jack Harbaugh recalled.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. ? Tim Ross woke up Christmas morning with an empty feeling. The 41-year-old Chambersburg man said the holiday hadn't been the same since his mother died around Christmastime a few years ago. This year, with his brother in Iraq, he faced the prospect of spending the day alone. Instead, he headed to The Salvation Army in Chambersburg, where decorations, Christmas carols, presents and a hot turkey dinner awaited him. "By the time you leave, you feel full - your mind, body and soul," he said.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Lynne Newman and her husband, John, left their Chambersburg home at 5:30 a.m. Christmas morning to put more turkeys in the Salvation Army's oven, prepare two huge pans of stuffing and do the many other tasks necessary to feed dinner to 300 people. "Mrs. Newman is quite a woman. Santa Claus is not a man, it's a woman," said Laura Loose, a teacher at Shippensburg (Pa.) Area Middle School, who volunteers at the annual Salvation Army Christmas dinner every year with members of the school's Student Council.

Christmas Day started very early for many area volunteers who were willing to give up all or part of their holiday to help others have a better one. Starting at 5 a.m. for many, around 150 volunteers gave back for more than 500 people at the Franklin County Salvation Army Christmas dinner, held Saturday inside the Salvation Army lunch room on Lincoln Way West in Chambersburg. Lynne Newman, coordinator of the event for the past 19 years, said they also delivered about 220 meals to those who could not make it to the dinner.

HALFWAY - Facing the demands of school and work, young mentors such as Jocelyn Mojica don't come around very often. "It's not unusual for young people to get interested in the program, but they usually have difficulty following through," said Crystal Davis, casework supervisor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County Maryland. Mojica, 21, of Halfway, is a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She has formed a strong bond with the youngster she mentors, a 9-year-old girl who attends Pangborn Elementary School.

Last week's question: We only received a few appropriate answers to last week's question, so let's try it again: When you think back to your own childhood, what is your favorite Christmas memory? ( Editor's note: After two weeks of solicitations, only one reader offered a childhood Christmas memory. Read it, and you might find, as we did, that it's worth your time.) · A crick Christmas. That's my answer to the question "What is your favorite Christmas memory?"

HAGERSTOWN -- Short of snagging a ride to the North Pole, most children won't catch a glimpse of their Christmas presents until Dec. 25. Saturday morning, Santa made an exception - adjusting his busy itinerary to make an early delivery to 65 local children. The jolly old elf's appearance was a highlight of a Christmas party hosted by the Antietam Exchange Club for participants in the Healthy Families parenting program. The celebration, which included music, crafts and a meal, was held at Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church in Hagerstown.

When she heard her final point total, Jamie Robinson's eyes opened in surprise like it was something special on Christmas morning. After all, the Hagerstown Community College sophomore had just finished off a 28-point, 13-rebound performance to lead the Hawks past Cecil Community College on Wednesday night, 75-51. Never a star at Martinsburg High School, Robinson has developed her game to become an integral part of HCC's early-season success. The Hawks are 11-0 and 4-0 in Maryland JuCo play.

by Kevin G. Gilbert / staff photographer click to see larger image For holidays, this army is a real salvation By LAURA ERNDE Staff Writer When Lee and Katherine Brownlowe were laid off from their jobs two weeks ago, they wondered how they would afford Christmas gifts for their four children, ages 7 through 10. Thanks to the Salvation Army and the generosity of the community, their Hagerstown home will not...