El legado de 24 años de regalos navideños de los propietarios de un bed and breakfast local

Cuando Mike y Carol Wentink hablan de las personas que les importan -sus empleados, familia, huéspedes y la comunidad del Alto Valle- su profunda compasión resuena en todo lo que dicen.

"La vida gira en torno a las personas", dice Mike. "No se trata de otras cosas. Se trata de la gente".

That compassion led them to start a giving tree program in Leavenworth 24 years ago, coordinating with Upper Valley MEND to ensure the kids whose parents might struggle to afford them could have presents under the tree on Christmas morning. It’s also why they continue to support MEND all these years later.

A giving tradition is born

The couple owns Haus Rohrbach, a European-style bed and breakfast tucked up against Tumwater Mountain at the end of Ranger Road. They first started coming to Haus Rohrbach in 1981 as guests. On July 13, 2000, they became the owners.

That first Christmas, Mike and Carol were surprised to realize that Our Lady of Snows, the Catholic church they’d begun to attend in town, didn’t have a giving tree. Contributing to a giving tree was something they had enjoyed participating in at their previous church in Port Orchard.

Mike described the giving tree to Our Lady of Snow’s priest. The tree is decorated with angels that each have the age and gender of a local child on them, but not any other identifying information. He asked if it would be ok if he started one at the church. The priest agreed.

Mike then reached out to Carl Florea, the Executive Director at MEND at the time. Carl agreed to help them gather a list of kids in need that they could put on the tree.

Soon, the Wentinks had a Thanksgiving tradition, where all their dinner guests helped create the giving tree angels using mylar—the clear plastic sheets used to use to show information on overhead projectors—and glitter.

“We learned quickly that glitter pens were less messy than glitter and glue,” said Carol.

The age and gender of the child went on the front, and information about the giving tree program went on the back. They started with 50 angels on the tree, eventually increasing the number to 75.

Barbara Roos, a local quilter and sewing enthusiast, would check in before the deadline every year. “How many haven’t been taken yet?” she’d ask. Then she’d either hand-make items—scarves, quilts, polar-fleece hats—or coordinate with her local quilting group to make or buy gifts for the children.

“There were some ages that were harder to buy for, so no one would take them,” she said. “So we took those ornaments and made sure those kids got gifts. We’d either make something or go shopping for toys and other items.”

“I’ve got a mid-life crisis minivan that I’d fill with gifts and deliver to the Community Cupboard,” said Mike. “I was like a kid at Christmas myself.”

The giving tree tradition continued for 19 years. The church in Leavenworth closed right around the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the Wentinks decided to continue the tradition on their own. Four years ago, Mike took some of their own money and got $1000 worth of Hooked on Toys gift certificates in $25 increments to give out. For the last two years, he got his neighbor to split the cost with him in exchange for plowing.

Although the Wentinks hope to be able to do a giving tree through the church again in the future, they want to make sure the community gets what it needs in the meantime.

“This year, we’ll just give the money to MEND and let them decide,” Mike said. “People aren’t even aware of all the things that MEND does. I talked to [Bob Mark, MEND’s Director of Human Services] about all their programs. Then I said, ‘Cool. Let’s give you the money and you decide what to do with it.’”

“Mike and Carol embody the true spirit of community care,” says Bob Mark. “They have been dedicated to supporting local families during the Christmas holiday for as long as I can remember. Their commitment isn’t about recognition—it’s about preserving the magic of the season for those who need it most. I can’t say enough about how helpful their support has been over the years.”