Angels & Elves 

The Project

Our Head Elf Kiwanian Marie Lee, who has been involved with the program since 2008.

Angels & Elves has been a service project of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Washington Valley since 2003. The goal of the program is to ensure that 450-600 underserved children in the Mount Washington Valley receive gifts during the holiday season. Families can apply for assistance, and the program matches children with “Angels” (donors) who purchase gifts based on the children’s needs and wish lists. The program focuses on providing essentials such as warm clothing, winter gear, and educational items, along with toys and other gifts to brighten the holiday season. In 2024, generous donations allowed us to gift a much appreciated grocery card to each family. Many families who have received support often express their gratitude by paying it forward. Some return as donors or volunteers, helping other families in need during future holiday seasons.

Over the years, there have been hundreds of heartwarming stories. Click here to hear of a few.

Kiwanis members coordinate a valley-wide network of generous individuals, organizations, and businesses who contribute their time, money, and resources to make this possible. Angels & Elves is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under IRS regulations, and any donations made to support the program are tax-deductible.

Click HERE for information on how to apply for assistance or HERE to learn how you can help the children of the Valley.

2024 Season

This is Pat Heiges—Elf Extraordinaire and volunteer since 2008—just look at all those clipboards! Each one holds a list of items needed to help fill the bags for kids whose applications indicate “necessities.” Even with a steady supply of snow pants, jackets, and boots, sizes can run out during the season. Pat carefully tracks our inventory, sends Elves out to pick up any missing items, and makes sure every last piece gets to the right bag—and the right kiddo. She’s an incredible volunteer and truly an Angel!

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our amazing community—including Settler’s Green, which has generously donated a storefront for over a decade—435 local children and their families received toys, warm clothing, and grocery cards this Christmas! Many children went home with bikes, gifted by a few extraordinary donors, while several hundred others experienced the magic of a ride on the Santa Express, a special train trip generously provided by the Conway Scenic Railroad just for us! This marks the 33rd year of Angels & Elves, and this season brought something truly special—MANY of our sponsors shared that they once received gifts from us and were thrilled to now pay it forward to help others. It’s a beautiful reminder of how generosity comes full circle.

Meet longtime Team Leader Bette DuBuis! Each group of 50 children has two Team Leaders who, just like Santa, check the list twice! When sponsors return the gifts in the giant green bags we provide, the Team Leaders double-check sizes, make sure everything is just right, and coordinate wrapping and gift pickup to keep the holiday magic shining bright.

The Location

Elf Headquarters will reopen in November 2025. We will post information regarding our new location, hours, and opening dates on this website, in the Conway Daily Sun and on Facebook.

To Donate

Contact Information

Volunteer coordinators (from left) Chris Gillette, Marie Lee and Barbara Plonski stand together in the toy room at the Angels and Elves.

Angels & Elves
P.O. Box 1993
North Conway, NH 03860-3053

Phone: (603) 356-5512 (only active from opening to closing day each year).

Emails:

To request an online application for a child: angelsandelevesapply@gmail.com (these emails are only monitored when A&E is open)

For more information about Angels & Elves and how to help: angelsandelvesoffice@gmail.com (these emails are only monitored when A&E is open)

Dick Ficke Scholarship

Angels & Elves, in partnership with The Kiwanis Club of Mount Washington Valley, proudly offers the Dick Ficke Scholarship. Established in memory of long-time member and Head Elf, Dick Ficke, this annual, need-based scholarship is awarded to a local student with strong academic performance who is pursuing further education.

In Memory of Dick Ficke (1937–2020)

Our beloved former Head Elf, who was instrumental in bringing the Angels & Elves program to Kiwanis. His leadership and dedication helped grow the program into the cherished holiday tradition it is today, ensuring thousands of local children have experienced the magic of the season. His legacy of kindness continues to inspire us all.

Dick Ficke seen at the helm of Angels & Elves in Settlers Green in 2014.