Local gift wrapping donations to benefit National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Gary Evitt spends countless hours inside the Clearview Mall during the holiday season, but he doesn’t utilize that time to shop for himself, or anyone else.
Instead, Evitt receives permission to set up a space to wrap other peoples’ gifts free of charge while accepting donations that support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
From Black Friday to Christmas Eve, he and other volunteers raised $4,598 for the nonprofit, which works to find a cure for the chronic nervous system disease and empower those who have it to lead productive lives.
“We always say, ‘We’ll take anything from ‘Merry Christmas’ to a million dollars,’” Evitt said with a chuckle. “I’ve gotten a number of merry Christmases over the years, but I’m still waiting for that million dollars. It’s just donation only, but if you don’t have the money for the donations, we just tell people not to worry about it.”
Evitt has been wrapping presents for nearly two decades, ever since his son, Joshua, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007.
Despite being in his mid-70s now, Evitt remains active when it comes to fighting the disease through a nationally acclaimed road cycling event that kicks off in Butler.
Each year, officials with the nonprofit raise funds through the “Bike MS: Escape to the Lake,” a two-day bicycling trip in early June that takes riders through Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. The journey begins in Portersville and ends near Lake Erie.
“2008 was my first bike ride, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said. “I started by just having his name on a bandanna. Through the years, I’ve met or heard from more than 200 people who have it or have relatives that have it. I have a little card that I wear when I do the ride, and I have just their first names on it. That’s really who I ride for.”
According to the nonprofit’s events page, next year’s ride, which takes place on June 7 and 8, has already raised $18,543 and includes 232 participants as of Dec. 26. Officials with the nonprofit have set an overall fundraising goal of $670,000.
