Richmond, IN, December 5, 2025 – Every December, Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County offer a holiday gift to their members and the community: The Carla Stidham Christmas Shop. The Carla Stidham Christmas shop is a week-long event where Boys & Girls Club members can “purchase” and wrap gifts for their families and loved ones. Members earn “Santa Bucks” to exchange for their gifts through good behavior and program attendance in the week preceding the shop opening. In 2024, the Club served 553 kids and sent over 2,600 gifts throughout the community thanks to the program.
“The Carla Stidham Christmas Shop is the highlight of the year for many of our Club Kids,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County Chief Operating Officer Rebeckah Hester explained. “Kids take pride in being able to give back to their families and find the perfect gift for their loved ones. It teaches them to think of others during the holidays and to cultivate a spirit of generosity.”
While the shop may only come once a year, it represents a year-long project for the Club’s Christmas Shop Committee who source donations and discounts to fill the space with items from toys to tools and jewelry. Local businesses including Ahaus Tool & Engineering, Better Homes & Garden First Realty Group, Blue Buffalo, Earlham College & Athletics, Ivy Tech, Manpower, Natco, and VanVleet Insurance ran donation drives in 2025 to stock the store.
The shopping experience also relies on the holiday spirit of over 200 volunteers who help Club members select and wrap presents. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County Events & Administrative Coordinator Lauren Murray at lmurray@bgcrichmond.org.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County’s Board of Directors named the program in memory of Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County Lifetime Board Member Carla Stidham. Stidham created the Christmas Shop program after joining the board in 1995 and remained an organizer and champion until her passing in May of 2024. The program has grown exponentially since its inception, and the Club has been able to extend this unique gifting opportunity to other youth-serving nonprofits including Achieva Resources and Girls Inc.
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County is “to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.” Members of the Club, ages 6-18, have access to dedicated, trained professionals who provide guidance in adopting healthy lifestyles and pursuing educational objectives. Currently, the Club serves youth at six locations: the Jeffers, McDaniel, First Bank, Wayne Bank, and Hagerstown units; The CLUB Teen Center; and their 168-acre Camp Guy located on the Whitewater River. Since 1957, the Club has been striving to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in life. For more information, visit www.bgcrichmond.org.
Photo and article submission by Kathryn Glen.
