Chasidy Rosa-Morales stands with a bicycle, one of the Christmas gifts purchased for her children. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Chasidy Rosa-Morales serves as the Outreach Coordinator for the Jefferson County Council on Aging, where she handles all sorts of requests for help for the seniors who use the center. During the holiday season, Rosa-Morales organizes multiple fundraising events to raise funds for the center’s “Angel Families” who need a little extra for the holidays.

What Rosa-Morales did not know what that her co-workers plotted behind her back to help her out this holiday season. Facing some challenges this year, Rosa-Morales and her family were heading into a Christmas season with minimal holiday cheer. Her co-workers, unbeknownst to her, worked extra hard to raise funds for the “Angel Families,” one of which was Rosa-Morales family.

Two weeks before Christmas, the staff gathered together, to watch Director Amy Wellman present Rosa-Morales with a cash gift to assist her family for the holiday.

“Chasidy works so hard for everyone else, so this year we worked hard for her,” Wellman told the staff and the seniors, many of whom also had a part in the surprise.

Amid tears and objections, Rosa-Morales thanked everyone for all they had done.

“It made me cry, too,” said Sarah Pierson, one of the staffers at the JCCOA.

“It always makes me cry to do something for someone who really deserves and needs it,” Pierson added.

But, the giving was not yet over. In addition to the cash gift, those who came in the center ane took names off the Angel Tree bought gifts for the children of five different families. All of the gifts were wrapped and delivered before Christmas, so the five families would enjoy a little bit more on Tuesday morning.

The gifts for the Rosa-Morales family were presented to Chasidy the week of Christmas, so she could get them home and under the tree in time for the children to enjoy.

One of the families included Rosa-Morales’ family of three boys. Again, unbeknownst to her, Rosa-Morales’ co-workers added her children to the Angel Tree, and many collected the gifts for her family and the other four families from Jefferson County.

According to Rosa-Morales’ co-worker, Kim Hogbin, the surprises were well-deserved by the mother.

“Chasidy is selfless,” Hogbin said. “She does anything and everything for everybody without any hesitation. It was great to do something to help her and her family this year.

“It’s so good to help give Christmas to someone who does so much giving to everyone else,” Hogbin said.

As Rosa-Morales’ family looked forward to celebrating Christmas with the gifts and money donated by community members, Rosa-Morales found it impossible to talk about the gifts without tearing up.

“I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to everyone – my church family, my soccer family and all of my co-workers,” Rosa-Morales said. “It shows that there is kindness and care for others and I just can’t believe everything that everyone has done for us.”