The Maritime Bethel at the Port of Savannah will continue its annual tradition of providing Christmas gifts for hundreds of seafarers who are away from home and their families at Christmas. The Maritime Bethel is looking for volunteers to help assemble and wrap these gifts for the seafarers to help share the joy of the holidays. The Christmas-at-Sea wrapping party will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at the Garden City United Methodist Church, 62 Varnedoe Ave.

“We ask that volunteers bring at least one guest and an unwrapped gift, preferably something spiritual, to this event,” Maritime Bethel Chaplain Andy Krey said. “Each year, I look forward to this event and seeing the community come out to help with the program. We couldn’t continue this tradition each year without the support of our volunteers.” 

The Maritime Bethel at Savannah provides “far away from home” personal and practical support to seafarers who come into the Savannah port from all over the world. For almost 200 years, Maritime Bethels around the world in major port cities have prepared Christmas gifts for the seafarers who are thousands of miles from their loved ones on Christmas Day. The Maritime Bethel at the Port of Savannah has continued this tradition since it began.

A catered meal will be available to volunteers for $20 per person. Please RSVP in advance to ensure an accurate headcount for the meal by sending checks payable to M.B.S. (noting “Christmas-at-Sea” in the memo field) to Maritime Bethel at the Port of Savannah, P.O. Box 884, Rincon, GA 31326. For more information, please call 912-826-0206, email [email protected] or visit www.maritimebethelatsavannah.org.