Chapman named this year's Christmas Mother

Barbara Chapman will soon be making the rounds to meet with various civic and business groups in hopes of drumming up support for this year's Christmas Mother Program.

Barbara Chapman has been selected as the 2007 Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother. Chapman is a former board member, officer and interim executive director of Chesterfield Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). CASA is a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children.

Four years ago, Chapman joined the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Committee to help those in need in our community during the holidays. She is coordinator of the committee's Giving Tree Program.

Chapman is also active in other community organizations. She was a member of the Chesterfield County Police Department Memorial Committee and a former officer and present board member of Chesterfield County/Colonial Heights Crime Solvers Inc. She is also an active member of Beulah United Methodist Church.

Chapman and her husband, Richard, have a blended family that includes two married daughters, Shelia and Kimberly, two sons, Rich Jr. and Joshua, and five grandchildren.

In her holiday letter to potential donors, Chapman emphasizes that the true spirit of Christmas is sharing. Over the coming months, she will be talking with many organizations and the media to enlist support.

The Christmas Mother program is seeking sponsors to provide new toys, clothing and food for families in need; individual donations of food and monetary contributions; and volunteers to work at the Christmas Center.

If you'd like to invite the Christmas Mother to speak to your organization or business, are interested in volunteering, or would like further information about the program, call 748-1183 or 751-4657 weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Contributions may be sent payable to the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother, P.O. Box 2500, Chesterfield, Virginia 23832.

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, charitable organization.