AS BUSY as they are with their own holiday shopping and gift wrapping, a group of volunteers from Linthicum Baptist Church will take two days in December to help patients at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup.
Volunteer Esther Hummer said one day would be devoted to helping with Christmas presents.
She said patients go to a large room filled with assorted merchandise such as jewelry, toys, scarves, socks, and fancy wrapped candy, to buy what they want for their families.
Hummer said she and other church volunteers wrap and tag the presents for the patients before they are mailed in large boxes.
On the second day, volunteer Joan Childs said, the group fills more than 200 large decorated bags with goodies that have been donated to the state's only maximum-security state mental hospital. The staff distributes one to each patient on Christmas morning.
The Christmas season is not the only time volunteers are seen at the hospital. They do a similar thing at Easter, decorating and filling bags for every patient.
"We usually get a call when help is needed, if there is a special job to do," Hummer said. Once, the hospital received a large donation of clothing and it needed to be separated into men's and women's and sorted by sizes. "We were called to do the job before patients came to pick out what they wanted," she said.
Childs said that over the years she could remember different occasions that called for help. "Someone donated a large selection of perfumes and another time a nursery gave flowers," she said.
"We were called to help the auxiliary sell them. The money goes into the patients' fund to buy personal items for those who are indigent and to give the patients parties."
Gertrud "Trudie" Finney, director of Volunteer Services at the facility, said the church has been sending volunteers to perform various duties for more than 25 years.
She said Linthicum Baptist Church is one of many groups that volunteer at the hospital. She said she could always count on the Linthicum group.
Finney, who has been director for nine years, said she couldn't think of any words to describe the joy that she feels seeing the service these volunteers give to others.
She said volunteers are an important link between the patient and the community and provide the staff with and "extra hand" of service. They also supply patients with commodities and entertainment not otherwise available.
Finney said she also schedules church services on Sundays and arranges for ministers of different faiths to volunteer on a once-a-month basis.
"We have a variety of patients. ... We like to provide a realistic Sunday morning church service and look for more ministers to volunteer at the hospital," she said.
Other members of Linthicum Baptist Church who volunteer are Betty Stup, Brenda Pfanstiel, Ellen Collier, Charlotte Maddrix, Ralph Maddrix, Thelma Modlin, Toni O'Berry, Thurma Robl and Marcella Layson.
Volunteering at the psychiatric treatment facility has been a rich experience for Charlotte Maddrix, who has served there for four years.
"I love helping others," she said. "I feel so blessed that I almost come away in tears. We take so much for granted."
Linthicum Baptist Church is at 611 Camp Meade Road.
Information or to volunteer, Gertrud Finney, 410-724-3111, or the church office, 210-766-0204.
Florida fruit sale
Linthicum Lions Club is looking to the community to support its December Florida fruit sale.
The following fruit will be sold: large seedless navel oranges: case, $17, half-case $12; ruby red grapefruit: case, $16, half-case, $11; sweet tangerines: case, $25, half-case, $16; tangelos: case, $17, half-case, $12.
All orders must be placed and paid in full by Dec. 12. Orders may be picked up from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 21 at Linthicum Elementary School, Camp Meade Road and School Lane.
Information: 410-859-8967 or 410-694-9660.
Christmas craft fair
Bring your friends and neighbors to St. Philip Neri's Christmas Craft Fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the school, 6405 Orchard Road, Linthicum. Crafters will display Christmas wreaths, wooden items, Christmas ornaments, floral arrangements, candles, jewelry, crab shell ornaments and more. Food will be sold.
Information: Lisa Oursler, 410-766-0017.
Women's group program
The Career Women's group of Woman's Club of Linthicum Heights will present a program featuring speakers discussing international and local aspects of Habitat for Humanity. The meeting will be at 7 p.m., tomorrow at St. John Lutheran Church, 300 W. Maple Road.
Kathy Barnes, a member of Linthicum Heights United Methodist Church, will present a slide lecture titled "Habitat for Humanity in India - Rescued from Living on the Streets." Barnes, a resident of Brooklyn Park, has been working with the church's Habitat program for several years.
A master trainer for the Scouting program, Barnes has been involved with Girl Scouts for nearly 30 years. In 1997, in conjunction with her volunteer work with the scouts, Barnes had the opportunity to visit Pune, India. While there, she was in contact with their Habitat community.
Club member Sherry Brown, also a member of the Linthicum Heights United Methodist Church, will discuss the church's local Habitat program, including the recent completion of a Habitat home in Pumphrey.
The church has been in partnership with Habitat for several years and has completed three houses locally and has helped fund two international homes.
Information: Jo Barker, 410- 859-3308, or Sherry Brown, 410- 859-5022.