Every year, Angels & Elves brings holiday joy to hundreds of children and families across the Mount Washington Valley — and none of it happens without the incredible people who make it all possible. From leadership and coordination to shopping, wrapping, organizing, welcoming families, and processing applications, our volunteers give their time, energy, and hearts to this community project. Angels & Elves is a Kiwanis Club of Mount Washington Valley service initiative that ensures underserved children in our region receive gifts and essentials during the Christmas season.
Nearly ALL of our Kiwanis members are involved in the program in some way each season—whether through year-round coordination and project management, sponsoring children, wrapping gifts, or helping with the annual move-in and move-out of Elf Headquarters. Below are just a few of the many dedicated individuals whose compassion and commitment keep this program thriving year after year.
Marie Lee
Meet our extraordinary Head Elf, Marie Lee — the heart, backbone, and steady leader of Angels & Elves.
A Kiwanis member since 2008, Marie has dedicated countless hours to making sure more than 450 local children experience a joyful Christmas each year. She oversees every moving part of the program: setting up and breaking down Elf Headquarters, coordinating volunteers, guiding sponsors and applicants through the process, working alongside partner organizations, and calmly solving whatever challenges come her way.
Marie is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. No task is too big, no detail too small. She leads with patience, kindness, and a deep sense of responsibility to the families we serve — and she does it all quietly, without seeking recognition.
Santa may have many helpers, but Marie is his favorite elf. If you see her around the Valley, be sure to thank her for the care, leadership, and heart she brings to this work year after year
If you’ve been involved with Angels & Elves for any length of time, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Chris Gillette. Chris began volunteering back in the early to mid-1990s, starting as a shopper, then as assistant team leader before quickly being promoted to team leader—a role she held for two decades. In 2022, she became a Kiwanis member and stepped into an even bigger responsibility as second-in-command, helping to oversee the entire program and ensure its continued success.
These days, Chris spends much of her time in an administrative role, where she’s been instrumental in adapting the program to an ever-changing world—streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and finding new ways to deliver gifts and support to local families. She loves being in Elf Headquarters nearly every day because it gives her the chance to see firsthand the generosity of the community and the gratitude of the families we serve.
Chris decided to get involved because she believes it’s important for children to have special memories around Christmas—moments they can look back on with joy. Working in town at TDBank, she saw the struggles that many local families faced and wanted to help make the holidays brighter for them.
More than two decades later, Chris continues to be a driving force behind Angels & Elves. Her leadership, compassion, and dedication ensure that the magic of the season reaches every corner of our community
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Pat Heiges
Meet Pat Heiges, our Shopping Coordinator and the steady force behind Angels & Elves since 2008. Pat plays a central role in making sure every child experiences the joy of Christmas.
Many children are supported through internal shopping made possible by generous donations—often for larger families, late applications, or when specific sizes or hard-to-find items are requested. In other cases, sponsors may only be able to fulfill part of a wishlist. This is where Pat’s experience and dedication make all the difference.
Pat oversees the entire shopping process, pulling items from inventory, coordinating volunteer shoppers, and ensuring every child’s wishlist is thoughtfully completed.
What truly sets Pat apart is her positivity and unwavering commitment. Even during the busiest moments of the season, she remains kind, calm, and ready to help wherever needed.
In recognition of her years of service and dedication, Pat was honored by our Kiwanis club with the prestigious “Friend of Kiwanis” award.
Nancy Frawley Marquis
Meet Nancy Marquis, one of the behind-the-scenes heroes of Angels & Elves. Nancy is a master bargain hunter who spends the entire year watching for deals on snow pants, jackets, and boots—stretching every dollar to make sure cash donations go as far as possible.
She finds incredible prices on quality winter gear, helping us stock up long before the season even begins. On top of that, Nancy an
d her husband, Bobby, have personally donated generously over the years to help ensure every child stays warm.
Nancy began as a dedicated Angels & Elves volunteer and, after years of hands-on involvement, she and Bobby officially joined Kiwanis in 2011. One of their most significant contributions came early on, when they donated a professional printer and ongoing supplies—frames, ink, and photo paper—that allowed us to launch and continue our Photos with Santa fundraiser virtually cost-free.
Nancy and Bobby owned Marquis Enterprises together, and one of their businesses handled photo production for key rides at Story Land. That experience made their support especially valuable when we were building the fundraiser from the ground up.
Thanks to Nancy’s energy, sharp eye for a deal, generosity, and quiet commitment, hundreds of local children head into winter with the essentials they need. She is thoughtful, tireless, and truly one of our Angels.
Barbara Plonski and her husband Mike retired to the Mount Washington Valley and in 2016 joined the Kiwanis Club. Since 2020, Barbara has been a vital part of the Angels & Elves team—helping make the magic happen both behind the scenes and out in the community.
Barbara serves as our publicity chair, so chances are you’ve seen her on local television or read one of her articles in the newspaper. If she looks familiar, it might be because Barbara is also well known around town as an actress, having starred in numerous local theater productions. She brings that same energy and creativity to Angels & Elves, especially when coordinating the annual Santa Express ride generously donated by the Conway Scenic Railroad. Barbara personally contacts applicants to invite them aboard, then spends the evening in costume—entertaining children and families as they enjoy a magical night with Santa.
Barbara’s dedication, organization, and joyful spirit make her an irreplaceable part of our Angels & Elves family.
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Linda Hall-Little
When Linda relocated to the Mount Washington Valley full time in 2008, she heard about the Angels & Elves program and stopped by Elf Headquarters to sponsor a few children. What began as a simple act of kindness quickly turned into a lasting commitment. While volunteering at the front desk that first year—Linda saw firsthand how meaningful the program was to the community. This prompted her and her husband John to join Kiwanis in 2009.
During the 2008 season, a surprising discovery changed everything. A sponsor—using MySpace (the social media platform before Facebook)—realized that the applicant she’d been assigned had listed her six adult, 30-something children as teenagers. We were embarrassed and more than a little shocked, that someone would try to take advantage of our community’s generosity.
To ensure that each child on the list was a local student and living with the parent or guardian who applied for them, Angels & Elves established a new role the following year, and Linda stepped in to fill it. Since 2009, she has been the program’s application processor and guardian of integrity—reviewing every application to ensure its legitimacy.
Linda works closely with other local Christmas programs to ensure families aren’t applying to multiple organizations for the same assistance. She carefully reviews every wish list for completeness and appropriateness, maintaining detailed Excel spreadsheets that allow for year-to-year comparisons and to catch inconsistencies. She collaborates with school liaisons which has been especially important in identifying families who might not otherwise reach out for help.
It may not be the most glamorous job, but Linda’s process ensures sponsors are matched with families who genuinely need our help. When the pandemic hit, she designed the online application system we still use today—one that continues to make things easier and more efficient for everyone.
Linda’s behind-the-scenes work has helped Angels & Elves serve families more effectively and uphold the integrity of the program.
In addition to her application work, Linda also manages the Angels & Elves Facebook and Instagram pages and serves as the Mount Washington Valley Kiwanis webmaster—helping tell the story of the program, share updates with the community, and keep information accessible year-round.
Linda King
If you’ve spent any time around Angels & Elves over the years, chances are you’ve met Linda King—and if you haven’t, you’ve certainly felt her impact.
Linda moved to the Valley in 2008, and like many who are new to the area, she was looking for a way to not just give back, but to connect. One day she heard a radio ad about Angels & Elves and decided to stop in. She walked through our doors hoping to meet a few people… and instead found a community.
A former teacher, Linda quickly recognized the need in our region and jumped right in. Since 2008, she’s been a steady volunteer who helps keep the operation running smoothly.
You’ll most often find her at the front desk, where she’s greeting sponsors, answering questions, checking in applicants, and helping with the flow of bags coming in and going out. She gets a front-row seat to the kindness and generosity that keeps this program going—seeing how excited sponsors are to give and how grateful families are to receive.
For 16 years and counting, Linda has been one of the first welcoming faces people see and one of the quiet forces that makes Angels & Elves work. And we are happy to report that in 2024 she officially became a Kiwanian!
Cameron Smith & Bette Tibbetts
If you’ve ever stopped by Elf Headquarters, chances are you were greeted by the smiling faces of Cameron Smith and Bette Tibbetts. These two are the heart of our front desk—welcoming visitors, processing applications, answering questions
, and helping bring out bags when families arrive for pickup. Among other things, they also assist sponsors in selecting children to support, explaining how the program works, and guiding them through the process fro
m start to finish.
Cameron, a fairly recent high school graduate, spends his summers working at a local campground. When the season wraps up, he jumps right into full-time volunteering at Angels & Elves. He knows firsthand what the program means to local families—Cameron was once a recipient himself. Grateful for the support his family received, he now gives back with enthusiasm and compassion every single day.
Bette spent her career teaching at Pine Tree School, where she saw how Angels & Elves directly touched the lives of her students and their families. After retiring, she made it her mission to give back through the program that had done so much for the community she loved.
Together, Cameron and Bette bring warmth, organization, and heart to everything they do. We couldn’t imagine Elf Headquarters without them!
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Val Jackson & Patty Allen
Eighteen years ago, Val Jackson and Patty Allen began volunteering with Angels & Elves. From their very first season, both stepped directly into the demanding role of team leader — a responsibility that requires accuracy, patience, and a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work. Team leaders oversee a group of 50 children each year, manage parent requests, review wish lists, confirm sizes and needs when gifts are returned, coordinate wrapping, and help arrange final pickup. Their work is a major part of how Angels & Elves stays organized and consistent each year.
Val originally got involved with Angels & Elves when she realized that even if she couldn’t always afford to sponsor more than one child, she could still make a big difference by giving her time. Stepping into the team leader role let her do exactly that. With her own children grown and gone, Angels & Elves gives her a way to stay connected to the holiday spirit while helping the community she cares about. She has always preferred contributing to local efforts and looks for opportunities to give back whenever she can.
Patty started volunteering the same year because she enjoys giving back to our wonderful community. Before retiring, she spent her career as a teacher, encouraging her students to give from the heart and modeling what it meant to help others. She describes it as a genuine feel-good act of kindness and hopes many of her former students are doing the same in their own communities. Angels & Elves gives her a way to keep living those values while directly supporting local families.
For those who don’t know how it works behind the scenes, each Team Leader group is assigned 50 kids: 1–50, 51–100, 101–150, and so on. The groups with the earlier numbers can dive in right away because those applications are accepted first, matched with sponsors first, and the gifts typically come back earlier.
But for those who are assigned the higher numbers — like Patty and Val — it’s a very different pace. With the higher numbers they have to scramble quickly, use their mighty organizational skills, and rely on an “all hands on deck” effort to turn around their families’ gifts just in time for the holidays, making Elves Headquarters an extra-fun, bustling atmosphere.
Certainly a heartwarming holiday adventure for them — something the Hallmark Channel would appreciate!
Together, Val and Patty anchor one of the most important parts of Angels & Elves, and their long-running commitment has helped bring Christmas to hundreds of children in the valley!
The Team
MWV Kiwanis, Key Club, and Builders Club members come together twice a year, generously giving their time to help us move in and out of Elf Headquarters.
Meet our extraordinary Head Elf, Marie Lee — the heart, backbone, and steady leader of Angels & Elves.
If you’ve been involved with Angels & Elves for any length of time, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Chris Gillette. Chris began volunteering back in the early to mid-1990s, starting as a shopper, then as assistant team leader before quickly being promoted to team leader—a role she held for two decades. In 2022, she became a Kiwanis member and stepped into an even bigger responsibility as second-in-command, helping to oversee the entire program and ensure its continued success. 
d her husband, Bobby, have personally donated generously over the years to help ensure every child stays warm.
Barbara Plonski and her husband Mike retired to the Mount Washington Valley and in 2016 joined the Kiwanis Club. Since 2020, Barbara has been a vital part of the Angels & Elves team—helping make the magic happen both behind the scenes and out in the community. 
, and helping bring out bags when families arrive for pickup. Among other things, they also assist sponsors in selecting children to support, explaining how the program works, and guiding them through the process fro
Eighteen years ago, Val Jackson and Patty Allen began volunteering with Angels & Elves. From their very first season, both stepped directly into the demanding role of team leader — a responsibility that requires accuracy, patience, and a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work. Team leaders oversee a group of 50 children each year, manage parent requests, review wish lists, confirm sizes and needs when gifts are returned, coordinate wrapping, and help arrange final pickup. Their work is a major part of how Angels & Elves stays organized and consistent each year. 
