Sharing the spirit of Christmas

By John Kennett
JRN 312
Tom and Holly Valent, longtime Midland residents, have turned a passion for Christmas into a life of volunteering.

Tuesday, the Valents were presented with the Wally and Irene Bronner Spirit of Sharing Award during the 8th Annual Wally and Irene Bronner Spirit of Sharing Gala at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bay City.

“We feel very humbled by it,” said Holly. “It is very exciting to see all these wonderful people come together. We try to work hard at making people happy. It is a great honor.”

After Tom received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, the couple moved to Midland in 1974 as Tom took a position at Gerace Construction Co. Presently, he serves as president of Gerace.

Holly is a former special education and elementary teacher in the Midland Public Schools, who has been a stay-at-home mother since the birth of her second child.

Since 1995, she has volunteered as president and registrar for the world-famous Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School.

The school is set-up as a non-profit organization dedicated to educating men and women to be the finest representatives of the Christmas spirit throughout the world.

In 1977, Tom received a degree from the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. As a volunteer, he has been a coveted speaker for Santa Claus in Michigan and internationally.

“One Christmas, 1975, I’m not trying to be silly, I had a calling,” said an excited Tom. “I just said, ‘I want to be Santa.’ I don’t know why. I always had good Santa experiences when I was growing up.”

Tom thoroughly enjoys his involvement in the school.

“It is a privilege to be Santa,” he said. “We have this school and people just love to come. It is a real privilege for us to have the school. It is set up as a non-profit organization. We do not draw a wage from it.”

Tom was instrumental in the design and construction of the Midland Santa House in 1986.

“I cry every year when I see lines out to the street (at the Santa House),” said Holly. “Tom and I work extra hard to make it extra good for (visitors to the Santa House).”

Daughter Caroline Oosterhouse flew in from Austin, Texas, to deliver a warm and loving tribute to her parents.

“They do what they do, not because of the rewards, but because they have genuine hearts,” said Oosterhouse. “They are very special to me. My parents are givers.”

All proceeds from the gala will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association and help children and adults with one of the 43 forms of neuromuscular disorders covered by MDA.

Edited by Ben Evers