Adapted from “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore

‘Twas two nights before Jersey Cares Day, when all through the state,

Not a volunteer was stirring, not quite this late;

The supplies were delivered to the sites with great care,

In hopes that the volunteers soon would be there;

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of new classrooms danced in their heads;

And the team in their t-shirts, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a much-needed nap,

 

When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the floor to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a dart,

Tore open the blinds and threw them apart.

 

The moon on the white stripes of the parking lot,

Gave the shine of mid-day to my parking spot,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a school bus filled chock full of volunteers.

 

With a driver so happy and full of good cheer,

We knew in an instant it must be “Super Volunteer.”

More rapid than eagles his helpers they came,

And he laughed as he shouted and called them by name:

 

“Now, PAINTER! now, ARTIST! now, SKETCHER and BUILDER!

On, SORTER! on CLEANER! on, SWEEPER and PACKER!

To the buckets and brooms and big mounds of dirt,

Get to it! Get to it! (But no one get hurt!)

 

And then, in a twinkling, I heard around the state,

Volunteers starting work – man they’re so great!

As I pulled out my phone and was turning around,

In the door “Super Volunteer” came with a bound.

 

He was dressed in work clothes, from his head to his foot,

And he was splattered in old paint – even his boots,

A hammer, paint brush, and gloves hung from his belt,

A bottle of water and a hat – so he wouldn’t melt.

 

The stump of a pencil, he held tight in his teeth,

To sign in volunteers on the clipboard beneath,

He was armed with a sharpie and a roll of trash bags,

Ready to answer questions and solve problems we had.

 

He was friendly and cheerful, a picture of health,

And I smiled when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a nod of his head,

Let me know quickly that I had nothing to dread;

 

He joked and we laughed, but went straight to our task,

He completed the projects – we didn’t have to ask.

Then sending a text to all of his team

He winked and he nodded and disappeared it seemed.

 

He jumped on his bus and to his team gave a shout,

And they all waved and smiled as they headed out,

But we heard them exclaim as they drove out of sight,

“We love volunteering, It just feels right!”