by Paula M. Riley, Chestnut Hill Community Fund Drive Committee Member

Every holiday season, Chestnut Hill’s main corridor is packed with visitors. Whether strolling on a Stag ‘n Doe Wednesday, attending a choral concert or shopping for a special gift, people come from around the region to enjoy a little piece of Chestnut Hill.

After the carolers are done singing and the chestnuts are done roasting, the guests will be gone but there are some lucky ones who get to stay in Chestnut Hill. They know that although the holidays on the Hill have a magical quality about them, the real gift of the season is being able to call themselves Hillers.

Hillers get to enjoy wonder and magic all year long in Chestnut Hill. They enjoy beautiful green spaces, community concerts, family activities, programs for older adults and so much more. The Chestnut Hill Community Fund (CHCF) raises money each year to support programs and organizations that enhance living and working in a charming “suburb in the city.”

As residents of Chestnut Hill, we give ourselves a gift every year when we support the Chestnut Hill Community Association Fund. This charitable trust, started more than 40 years ago, raises money to make Chestnut Hill great, year-round.

Supported by individuals, businesses, and organizations, the Chestnut Hill Community Fund helps programs and nonprofit organizations working to enhance Chestnut Hill in four major areas of focus: culture, education, human services and physical beautification.

Every single resident of this community (and so many others) is touched by the organizations supported by CHCF. If you have attended a Pastorius Park concert, received a dinner from Meals on Wheels, seen a show at Stagecrafters, played at the Children’s Park in Chestnut Hill (Jenks playground), attended Hoops Madness, sent your children to Jenks Academy, spent a night at the Teen Center, or appreciated the landscaping at the Chestnut Hill train station, you have received the gift of CHCF.

These are but a few of the countless ways the fund helps make Chestnut Hill such an extraordinary place to live. By giving to the fund, you are ensuring that this community continues to offer such wonderful experiences to yourself and your neighbors.

Give the gift that truly keeps in giving – all year long.

You can make a contribution to the Fund Drive in person or by mail to CHCF at 8434 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia 19118 or online at www.chestnuthill.org or contact Noreen Spota at 215-248-8810. Donors who contribute $500 or more before Dec. 31 can pick up a complementary Chestnut Hill Calendar at Town Hall.