Making a List and Checking it Twice
by Cate Murway
“Well, here we are again...standing in the front door of the holiday season, holidays that also most represent the good of humanity as a whole. They single out no one, and none should be forgotten...”
Carl Christian Schultz, proprietor of Flash Effects.
As the holiday season approaches many of us have already started making our gift lists and planning to whom we will give gifts. This year do something just a tad different as you jot down names on your page. Go beyond including just your family or friends and add at least one gift or toy to your shopping list to donate for children in need, ages between 0 and 17.
The end of the year especially, is about giving from the heart. Return to the basic spirit of it all. Be the friend everyone wishes they had. Thank you for your generosity!
“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.” Henry James, O.M. (1843 –1916)
If you are planning on cutting back on your holiday spending or can’t afford another gift this season, please consider spending a little less on the other fortunate people on your list to allow the purchase of an age appropriate holiday gift to donate to a needy child or teenager in a difficult family circumstance.
Go one step further and donate directly to the Bristol Borough Holiday Toy Drive, sponsored by the Bristol Borough Community Partnership and Flash Effects Tattoo Studio.
Many of us are struggling to make ends meet in this tough economy but we should be grateful for what we have and consider helping other families and children that may not have any gifts or presents to open.
The donation of toys or small gifts may not qualify for a tax deduction, but donating a gift will instantly qualify you for the best return on your investment - the glowing, smiling face of a child’s excitement as they unwrap the gift that you have chosen for them this year.
“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.”
Sir James Matthew [J.M.] Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (1860 –1937)
Carl Schultz, owner of Flash Effects custom tattoo designwork on Mill Street is a member of the BBCP that strengthens our community by fostering the positive development of youth and families. Once again, they are partnered, committed and ready to service the Borough families in need. Carl is an original person with a creative approach to problem solving and generosity is an important part of his character. He has coordinated the 2nd Annual Bristol Borough Holiday Toy Drive. Carl and the BBCP would appreciate it if all gifts are delivered unwrapped to the Flash Effects Tattoo Studio- 303 Mill Street.
Please – no violence-oriented toys. Gifts for teens are especially needed and gift cards for this age group are terrific. Some other suggestions for the teen group are headphones, bath & body gift sets, hair curlers/dryers, books, and music and Burger King gift certificates.
A total of forty-eight families benefited from the Holiday Toy Drive last year, their very first year, and the goal is to assist an even greater number of families this year.
Carl was always “heavily involved with art” and the Chinese martial art of Kung Fu.
He feels fortunate to have been one of the students of the renowned sculptor Joseph Edward Pavone.
His mom, Betty [Hiebler] was born on Pond Street and he and his wife, Juan [Jia] and daughter Liyang from China currently reside on this very same street.
“I like Bristol. I get the city and no complications of the city.”
He remembers the “magical feeling” of the holidays and is pleased to be in the position to be able to get involved and make a difference. His birthstone is Peridot, purportedly helps dreams become a reality.
Carl has joined the Community Partnership and the BBBA and he’s been asked to be on the Board of Directors. He also volunteers to handle all the advertising for the Borough Calendar, even offering to help design the ads free of charge. He pays a Borough resident to clean up Mill Street, another service he offers through his shop. Recently, he ran a women’s self-defense class free of charge at Patrick Mulhern’s Personal Training Transformations, LLC.
“If a man does not take pride in his own town, he isn’t likely to give a rap for his country.” Joseph R. Grundy
“Carl is doing a fantastic job and he helps with anything possible”, per Richard P. Vallejo, President of the Bristol Borough Business Association. Rich will be donating gifts from his “Another Time Antiques” shoppe and will be loaning his green Ford F-150 Lariat pickup truck to further announce the Holiday Toy Drive in the Borough Christmas parade.
Many volunteers help “toting the toys” and make the Toy Drive such a successful endeavor.
Barbara June “Bobbie” [Moran] Enke, Chairperson for the BBCP, an organization under the United Way umbrella, shared that the Snyder-Girotti school nurse, the food pantries and the Bristol ministerium have chosen the worthy recipients.
Bobbie and John Enke’s children will assist with the Holiday Toy Drive. Their son Sean is a trustee at the Harriman United Methodist Church and he volunteers to cook at the burger nights. Their daughter Sarah is a history major student at BCCC.
The Rev. Marianne Rhebergen, Ph.D., a BBCP member, has provided office space for the Partnership in the Presbyterian Church on Radcliffe Street and will be involved in this project.
The list of volunteers also includes Robert Barton Patrick whose Radcliffe Street residence is home to several prospering enterprises, one of which is OPERATION PAY IT FORWARD and Linda Ann Bourget-Fenimore, the Bristol Elks #970 ER.
The “pre-tagged” gifts [designating age/gender] will be distributed on December 18th between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on December 21st between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. from the Harriman United Methodist Church at 1700 Wilson Avenue.
Donate a toy and you receive a chance for a FREE high dollar [up to $400.] Flash Effects Tattoo.
“Do you remember the feeling of " magic"? It lives in our hearts as cherished memories...it's a feeling that can never be named by any monetary value, a memory we will always cherish and never forget and hopefully pass along to generations to come. This year, there are many children who may not get to experience such a feeling this season. For me...the best gift of all is the gift of giving. Help us help those children not as fortunate as ours this year, help give the biggest gift one could ask for...a smile on the face of one these children. Show them they are not forgotten this year!
From all of at Flash Effects...thank you and have a wonderful holiday.”
Carl Christian Schultz, proprietor of Flash Effects
Please bring your unwrapped gifts by December 17th to
Flash Effects Tattoo Studio
Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m
Sunday 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
303 Mill Street
Bristol, PA
215.458.7764
Recommend a “Spotlight”: e-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
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Carl Schultz of Flash Effects Tattoo takes home the
Bristol Borough Business Association's 2009 Business Person of the Year award.
The Bristol Borough Business Association President Richard Vallejo presented their Business Person of the Year award to Carl Schultz of Flash Effects Tattoo at their Annual January Dinner Meeting on Jan. 20 at Anthony’s on the Delaware.
Since moving his business Flash Effects Tattoo to Bristol over two years ago, Carl has been very involved in the community and with the Bristol Borough Business Association. Carl was instrumental in arranging a truck for the Bristol Christmas Parade to collect toys for the “Toys for Tots” campaign. In addition to helping to run the “Toys for Tots” campaign Carl created and printed the poster for the campaign in Bristol Borough for the past two years. This past year Carl created and printed 2000 coloring books that were given out to children during the Christmas Tree lighting and during the Bristol Christmas parade. Inside this book was a coloring contest for children that Carl donated prizes for best pictures.
Carl also hired and paid on a bi-weekly basis a person to make sure Mill Street was swept clean. Carl is involved in the Bristol Borough Calendar and responsible for obtaining advertisers and helping create advertising art work for advertisers. He also donates his time and talents to teach for free self-defense classes for women in Bristol Borough.
