Submitted by Kathleen Amoia
(November 12, 2026) — Killingworth resident Carolyn Anderson is looking forward to the 20th anniversary of an event that started as a suggestion to a group of her friends all those years ago. To date, the Hartford Kids Holiday Event has served almost 7,000 Hartford schoolchildren. This year’s event will be held for roughly 500 children in two schools: December 11, 2026 at Fred D. Wish Museum Elementary School and December 16, 2026 at Milner Middle School.
The purpose of the Hartford Kids Holiday Event has remained the same since its debut. It is to provide a holiday fair opportunity for students to choose gifts for family members (at no charge) and have them wrapped in cheerful holiday themed paper. The event has evolved over time. For ten years, the organizers worked with the Hartford Boys and Girls Clubs. The first events were a bit chaotic, even as they achieved their basic aim. Learning from experience, Carolyn’s volunteer team focused on organizational details and the age population that benefited most from the event.
For the past ten years, the team has worked with the Hartford Public School System, concentrating on middle and elementary school students. Administrative and faculty enthusiasm and input have proved invaluable to the success of these events. The volunteers also found that the middle school students themselves are happy to help with the project, another plus for the students’ overall experience.
Volunteers (such as those shown in the photo above), many of whom have participated for years, come primarily from Haddam and Killingworth. Students from our RSD 17 middle and high schools help out and receive community service hours for their efforts. This is an event that takes a lot of willing hands.
New and gently used items for the fair are collected twelve months a year. They have to be checked out for quality, categorized for age appropriateness, stored before the event, and then transported carefully for set-up just before the fair. As Carolyn considers passing her leadership baton, she will not miss finding storage space around her house for those donated items. She does see herself as still involved with many of the original team. Participating in the event itself is still a joy!
Donations for this year’s Hartford Kids Holiday Event are being collected through November 30, 2026. Categories include new and gently used baby items; kids toys, coloring books and stuffed animals in great condition, etc.; men’s and teen boys sweaters, hoodies, hats, flashlights etc.; women’s costume jewelry, pocketbooks, scarves, holiday decorations, etc.
Also needed are reusable grocery bags, Scotch tape, gift bags, and wrapping paper. To meet the needs of the times, Aldi gift cards have been added to the gift list. These cards are given to families most in need of help in providing a holiday meal for their children. School administrators and faculty make those decisions. For more information about how to donate new or gently used items, how to volunteer, or to ask other questions about the event, please call or text Carolyn Anderson at 860-575-2932.
