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Through the nonprofit program Adopt-A-Bear, which is partnered with the Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, members of the community are buying gifts for county children who would otherwise receive very little on Christmas.

The tradition began 23 years ago, when Centreville resident and storeowner Klaus Liebig bought gifts for six children in Social Services. 21 years later, the program grew to include five Maryland counties purchasing gifts for 2,500 kids. However, after 2010, the program folded and only Queen Anne's County continued the practice, due largely to Heather Tinelli, a volunteer, who made an effort to keep Adopt-A-Bear alive.

"When it fell apart I just hated to see (that happen) because there are people that really do need it," said Tinelli, now the Adopt-A-Bear program director.

Adopt-A-Bear is what Tinelli refers to as an "invisible pipeline," a program designed for people to reach out and purchase gifts for children anonymously. Local elementary and middle Â鶹´«Ã½ along with social services put up names of children that qualify for the program. The children's clothes sizes and special toy requests are documented and first names placed on gender-specific bear-shaped tags that are given out to local businesses and churches to be placed on trees. Customers and employees can then pick a tag off the tree and purchase gifts for that child.

"There could be 1,200 people shopping for 1,200 kids and the kids don't really know," Tinelli said. "It's not about the reconciliation; it's about the end result.

"It's incredible the amount of effort people go into," Tinelli added. "Sometimes they'll make homemade stockings for them with their names. We get a lot of bikes. Kids want bikes and people actually go out and buy them bikes."

According to Tinelli, Dec. 8 is designated "shopping day," and core volunteers are encouraged to gather at the Kent Island Kmart to shop for the children whose tags were not picked off trees. The store opens up a line just for Adopt-A-Bear participants and even purchases many of the gifts to then sell to the volunteers at discounted prices.

"We have been helping out with Adopt-A-Bear for many years," said Kmart Manager Ken McCoy, who's been with the Kent Island retailer for five years. "Personally, I think it's great to help the needy and it's a really great program for the community. I feel really gratified with helping."

When the gifts are purchased, they are delivered to a warehouse and between Nov. 30 and Dec. 8, are inventoried and checked for safety purposes by groups of volunteers.

Every day during that week, teams of 20 or more people arrive day and night to participate in the effort.

"It's good to know that the county takes care of its own," Tinelli said. "It's special to my heart. It's what the spirit of Christmas is all about."