Dear Santa,

This is a very special letter, so despite its length we hope you will take time to read it carefully as its wishes are important to so many. Unlike most letters you receive, we are not children requesting toys, pets or computer games.

Rather, we are the many charities and special homes who brighten human and animal lives, and in some cases we actually save them. We are the men and women, Bermudian and non-Bermudian, of all ages, races and creeds, and from all walks of life, who simply want to make lives and our world better.

We are children?s and senior citizens? organisations, and the ones who work with the disadvantaged. We give support to the orphaned, comfort to the sick and dying, cheer to the lonely, and help to the physically and mentally abused and challenged. We also work with animals, giving them food, treatment and new homes.

In short, we are the helping hands of Bermuda, and we love what we do throughout the year. Despite willing hearts, however, our work is not always easy because our needs are greater than our resources.

So, like everyone else when Christmas comes around, we hope that, with your help, the season of goodwill will touch all hearts and translate into generous help for those we serve.

If this list seems long, it is because, in these increasingly expensive and uncertain times, those requiring our assistance are growing in number, and we find that we are struggling to meet their needs. If you cannot bring us everything we are asking for, we understand, but we would be thrilled to receive something because every wish fulfilled really makes a difference to the lives of those we touch throughout the year.

Thank you, dear Santa, and may you, too, receive the blessings of the Christmas season.

@EDITRULE:

Bermuda National Trust Our wish is for a van, as we desperately need to be able to transport children in our educational programme all over the Island. Please ( 236-6483 with the good news.

Bermuda Red Cross We need help with the following: 1. Drivers from the Southampton / Somerset area to drive the elderly to medical appointments. ( 292-1276. 2. Admin. volunteers to assist in the office and hospital equipment rental department during busier times, and when other volunteers are on vacation. ( 236-8253. 3. Volunteers to assist with various tag days which we support, and to assist with selling our raffle tickets in May and June, 2007. ( 236-8253.

4. Licensed nurses to volunteer in the Blood Donor Centre. ( 236-5067. 5. Blood donors. To sign up ( 236-5067.

We would also welcome the following: 1. Two or three lateral, four or five-drawer filing cabinets. ( 236-8253. 2. A donor to sponsor the cost of developing a new Disaster Management programme in the community. ( 236-8253. 3. Donor to sponsor the purchase of new manikins for our CPR/First Aid courses. ( 236-8253.

Finally, we ask that all delinquent accounts in the hospital equipment rental department be settled in the first quarter of 2007, and that the unused equipment be returned. ( 236-8277. Of course, financial donations for our general expenses and the F.W. Clipper building fund is always a blessing and much appreciated. ( 236-8253.

Bermuda Riding for the Disabled: We would love to receive a pony, flood lights for outdoor riding arena, riding helmets, a sheepskin saddle cover, tactile awareness box, and bean bags with names of colours. Mrs. Moyra Benbow at 238-7433 awaits your call.

Bermuda Senior Islanders Club We?re wishing hard for: 1. A set of garden tools (rake, shovel, hoe, etc.) to do small jobs. 2. Legal advice and guidance to incorporate the Bermuda senior.

Bermuda Society for the Blind Our first wish is that everyone will use today as the last chance before Christmas to buy the wonderful items made by the blind at our headquarters on Cedar Avenue.

Our second wish is to receive funds to help us support the blind at Beacon House, which includes funding a daily hot meal, as well as medical bills, doctors? visits, and prescriptions. Donations should be mailed to P.O. Box HM 2554, Hamilton HM 11.

Brangman Home Our student residents would truly welcome a 3-for-1 printer/scanner/copier which is compatible with our Dell computers to assist them with their school work.

We?re also wishing for an Ipod or MP3 player, bath gels and lotions, perfume, art supplies, and gift certificates for clothing from the following stores: Gibbons Co, Connections, Zig Zag, and Upscale. Please ( 292-3699 and ask for acting supervisor Miss Hewey, or whoever is on duty.

Cornerstone Foundation is a locally and internationally registered charity which makes compassion a reality. Donations are needed for the foster care scholarship programme, Operation Miracle and Chain Reaction Bermuda. ( 295-9640 or e-mail www.cornerstone.bm for mailing information.

Friends of the Bermuda National Library We are helping the National Library to move closer to the dream of a new, purpose-built facility. Planning sessions are underway, and our dream will soon be a reality. Meanwhile, our wish is that everyone will visit the Library and discover all that it has to offer: everything from borrowing books to the latest magazines, youth programmes at the Youth Library, and more ? all for free.

We need your support to help ensure the Library stays a vital and necessary pillar of the community. We can be contacted at friendstransact.bm or ( Ardleigh Young at 236-8042.

KEMH Continuing Care (upper and lower) and Alzheimer?s Units: Our wish list includes: toiletries, old movies, two coffee urns for the CC units, and a large-screen television for the Alzheimer?s Unit. Kathy Albuoy RN, Alzheimer?s Unit is the person to contact at 239-2055 ext. 1943.

LCCA: As we prepare to celebrate our 75th anniversary next year, the management committee?s wish is that we will continue to be blessed with support from friends, sponsors and volunteers so that we will always be in position to help those in need.

Lefroy House We are urgently seeking volunteer drivers to take our residents out into the community in the evenings and at weekends.

We would love some plants for our outdoor gardens, and also wheelchairs. Please call Valerie Cheape, acting administrator now, or activities co-ordinator Karen Fox after January 8. The number for both is: 234-0525.

Packwood Home For our male and female residents, the following toiletries would be much appreciated: body lotion, shampoo, soap, shower gel and shampoo. We also need white bath towels and face cloths; and a recliner.

Please give us the good news to 234-1459. Donations are always welcome, and cheques made payable to the home should be mailed to P.O. Box MA 257, Sandys MABX.

PALS Our wish is that the wonderful, generous people of Bermuda will continue supporting us as they have in the past because without them we simply could not exist.

Even with all the fund-raising we do ? and we do work hard at that ? we could never raise all the money we need. Our expenses last year were just under $1 million. So... donations please to PALS. Cheques can be mailed to P.O. Box DV 19, Devonshire DV BX.

Donations can also be made on line by visiting our web site: www.pals.bm We wish everyone a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Pembroke Nursing Home We would be delighted to receive walkers from Medical House, two 18-inch wheelchairs, white bath towels and face cloths, white flat top sheets, cosmetic trays such as manicurists use, lipstick and nail varnish, and someone to refinish our wooden floors. Nurse administrator Miss Arorash is standing by at 292-5728 for the good news.

Physical Abuse Centre There are 42 items on our wish list, ranging from table, bed and bed linen to heaters, toiletries, computers, office supplies and light bulbs. We?re very organised and can fax you a detailed list, or you can telephone us at 292-4366 for further information, and believe us, we will be extremely grateful for any and all gifts.

Physically Handicapped Association of Bermuda We really, really need funds: 1. To insure our special bus, and 2. To send five members on our special biennial, Margaret Carter memorial, trip abroad next summer. Please make cheques payable to the Association and mail them to P.O. Box HM 08, Hamilton HMAX. Islanders? Centre as a limited liability company. 3. Installation and monitoring security alarm system to protect the Bermuda Senior Islanders? Centre property. Please ( Rev. Fred Hassell at 295-9094.

SPCA Our cats and dogs will really celebrate Christmas in style if we receive any of the following: fleece cat beds, fleeces for dog beds, toys, Premier easy-walk harnesses, six-foot. leashes, dried/canned dog and cat food.

They also love treats: ?Temptations? (or similar) for the cats; rawhide chews for the dogs, who look forward gnawing these on their beds at day?s end. Of course, donations are always needed (mailing address: P.O. Box WK 94, Warwick WK BX). Finally, we would very much welcome some help with our landscaping projects. Please ( Theresa Ince at 236-7333 for details. The drop-off for gifts is 32 Valley Road, Paget.

STAR (Lighthouse) Our wish list is short and sweet: we would appreciate receiving twin bed blankets, twin sheet sets, and electric heaters. Please ( give our resident angel, Ruth Skinner, the good news at 292-5941 or fax her at 293-4621.

Sunshine League We have a long, long wish list to suit all levels of generosity ? everything from school work books for grades four and up, to gas vouchers from Union Gas Esso, dinner and parking vouchers, bus tickets, stamps, smooth place mats, irons and ironing boards, plastic hangers, table cloths, large indoor plants, colour printers, laminating machines, a portable table, two lawnmowers, a colour photocopier, to new windows and kitchen cabinets.

So there is plenty of scope to help our children to have a merry Christmas at the home. For full details, and news of your gifts ( executive director Ms Carey at 292-4360.

WindReach Recreational Village We?re wishing very hard for a CD player for our Sensory Room, banquet tables and stackable chairs, shelving for storage, a photo copier and a freezer. Mrs. Jeanie Flath is the person to call at 238-2469.

Women?s Resource Centre: A small (2-drawer) filing cabinet would be so useful, and our office administrator, A. Barclay, is on stand-by for good news at 295-3882. Donations are always needed, and our mailing address is 58 Reid Street, Hamilton HM 12.

Women?s Treatment Centre We will shortly be moving to new premises, and would be very grateful for some garden furniture. We also urgently need a colour copier. Please ( Andrea Bassett at 234-5584 or e-mail adbassettfknet.bm if you can help. Incidentally, we are a small charity dedicated to residential care for women recovering from drug addiction, and not to be confused with the Women?s Resource Centre (as often happens).