by J C Sullivan, Ohio, USA
They're like combat veterans in a sense, uncomfortable talking about themselves and what they've experienced. And, like soldiers receiving their deserved decorations, it's left to somebody else to tell you of their deeds. In the case of Cleveland's O'Donnell family, that somebody is me.
For eight years the family has hosted a Christmas get-together where friends and family donate gifts and/or money to underprivileged children and the Catholic Church. What began in their home has expanded to the point that they now rent a hall to accommodate it. This year it will be in the Church Hall of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on Cleveland's West side. It makes one wonder how it all came about.
"We used to work the soup kitchen at St. Patrick's on Bridge Avenue," said Barbara O'Donnell. "My sister Trish ran it and on the holidays, for about four or five years, the rest of the family all went down there to help where we could. Once we graduated from college there just wasn't any time. So we decided, just for the kids, once a year we'd put this together and accept gifts for underprivileged children or cash for the church if we could."
Trish O'Donnell-Gallagher readily gives credit to their many friends who help stage the ever-growing event. "Everybody does a small little part," she said. "One person's doing coffee, another pastry, another silverware. It's really a shared effort by a lot of friends. That's what makes it work. Everybody helps."
For years, O'Donnell-Gallagher and her sister Maureen ran the Wednesday night free meal program at St. Patrick's Hunger Center. "Little kids would come around and ask if they could help so we'd find little things for them to do. As it got closer to Christmas we'd do things for the kids, like take them sled riding. And we'd say, 'Oh, you better be good.' You know that suburban saying, 'If you're good Santa will come and he'll be good to you."
One year, after Christmas, a particular little boy, about four or five years old, said, 'I must not have been good 'cause Santa didn't come.' "We were dumfounded by what he said", said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "According to the youngster's mother, their family 'fell through the cracks' of then-current programs. So we decided that because our family is so very fortunate that we have each other and hold decent employment, the least we can do is make another child's Christmas."
Despite the O'Donnell family's success, they are no stranger to hardship and sacrifice. They were all quite young when their father died. "I remember liftin' a Christmas tree from somebody's field because we couldn't afford one," said O'Donnell-Gallagher. "We cut it down and hauled it home. If you can make a difference to one person's life...the great thing about this event is nobody knows you're doing it. You can wrap a gift that's five bucks or one that you always wanted that costs seventy. But nobody knows who gave what. All these people here tonight are doing this rally together for the same reason - 'cause we believe."
Matriarch of this energetic, creative and spirited clan is Fran Coyne-O'Donnell, a native Clevelander and first-generation Irish-American. "The three oldest were baptized at St. Patrick's; we lived in the parish. Their father lived nearby when he was growing up in what was called the 'Angle' neighborhood. I'm really pleased to see them putting back into the community."
Recipient, or rather distributor, of the gifts from the O'Donnell family and friends is Father Mark DiNardo, St. Patrick's parish. "We really like Father Mark,' said Barbara O'Donnell. "He's a real good egg, a true priest. He's pretty anonymous and he keeps it anonymous." O'Donnell believes that many want to give at holiday time but they're unsure of who to give because of mistrust.
"The O'Donnells have been a fantastic group people," said Fr. DiNardo. "For a long time, instead of having a Christmas party on their own, where they exchange gifts, they turned the money they would've expended on gifts into contributions for making a Christmas toys or parcels for other families. It's a wonderful, wonderful way that this parish of ours is the recipient of generosity that completely blows my mind. They're super, super people; I love them dearly."
A visitor to last year's rally was local Irish radio personality, Mayo-born Jerry Quinn. The following morning, on his Irish Radio Show, he talked about the O'Donnell party. "They don't publicize it or anything; they just do it out of the goodness of their heart." When he was driving from the party he thought, "With all of the bad things we hear about in the world; it's refreshing to hear that a lot of the people that I know are so good and charitable." He added Eddie O'Donnell appeared to be in charge. "I asked him if he was," said Jerry, "and he said, 'No, not really. We're all working on this together.'" Quinn added that he thought the O'Donnells and friends should be commended for doing such a wonderful thing. "All these people get together, they pay for everything themselves and buy gifts for less fortunate kids at St. Patrick's and they don't publicize or advertise it."
Kati has been the most-recent O'Donnell to visit Ireland. While there she stayed with cousin Annie "Ginger" Lynch and her daughter Margaret Campbell of Achill.
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