Nina Wheeler’s 2-floor garage is filled with toys and clothes for needy families. She and her husband, Mike, started Christmas For Families 45 years ago. Rose Lincoln/Bethel Citizen

WEST BETHEL — Nina Wheeler and her husband, Michael, have not parked in their garage since Nov. 1. It’s too packed with toys and other gifts. That’s how it has been for the last 12 years, almost since when they built the garage 13 years ago.

On Dec. 26, they’ll finally pull the cars into the two bays when Christmas for Families operated by Wheeler and her team of elves, is over for this year. The group takes toys and clothing donations to needy area families.

When they started a version of Christmas for Families 45 years ago, she and Michael lived in Westbrook. Two years later they moved to Bethel.  They had no garage so used the dining room table in the house, then moved to the garage, then to the basement, next out to the trailer Wheeler used for her daycare business, then to the basement of The Rebel, a restaurant they owned, and finally back to the garage. “Michael and I decided to spend the money and bought a propane furnace,” said Wheeler of the two story space she and her helpers say is the best they’ve had.

The helpers are, Leslie Cooley, Maryvonne Wheeler (no relation), Judy Lamontagne, Cindy Mills and Freida Davis. All have worked with her for at least 15 years, most of them for 40 or more years. ” I can’t do it without the help of these people,” said Wheeler.

Of her nearly full garage a few weeks ago, Wheeler said, “this is just the beginning.”

Much more was delivered over a few weeks by individuals and helpers from Sunday River, Brooks Brothers, LeMu Restaurant, The Tax Loft, where Wheeler used to work, and Main Street Realty.

Main Street Realty, importantly, is also the place where families in-need fill out and drop in the box, one of Wheeler’s applications.

When the Wheelers first started dong this work they were part of Christmas Caravan, a Portland agency. “When we moved to Bethel, “I felt there was a need,” said Wheeler, so they took it on themselves. They had no money to buy anything, so she sewed crayon aprons, while he made wooden trucks. Her friend, Maryvonne Wheeler, who lives next door, and her friends, knit hats, mittens and scarves.

With her voice cracking , Wheeler said, “The last three years we’ve done the best money-wise, ever. It is quite overwhelming. These girls will tell you, for years we made a lot of things because we didn’t have the funds to do anything else. Now we can go buy for them.”

One of our first years here, someone contacted me and said this family really needed help. We didn’t have any more that we could give. The next morning I got up and there was a doll for the little girl and a radio for the little boy. I stood there and cried. Somehow it works out every year. That’s all I can tell you,” said Wheeler. Then she cites more examples.

“My husband was home when a young man stopped by the house. ‘You folks helped me and my family when I was growing up,” he told Michael, as he unloaded toys he was donating from his car.

Heather Hale Nivus and David Nivus, owners of the Good Food store, donated 20 bolts of fleece one year. “That winter we did 150 tied blankets. We had the best time, sitting around the dining room table making all those lap quilts. The following year with more fleece to go, they made 100 giant pillows for lounging on the floor. And I still have fleece!” said Wheeler.

A West Bethel lady asked, “How have I never known about this?” referring to Christmas for Families. The woman’s friend in South Paris, who owns a sled factory, donated 50 sleds.

Wheeler does an inventory around the carefully organized second floor room. There are puzzles, crafts, books, men’s clothes, more books, games, crayons, coloring books, pencils, older boys’ toys, backpacks, a section for babies, one for teenagers, clothes for parents, pajama sets, and board games, “we make sure they get warm clothes, blankets, hats mittens, too,” she says.

They serve families in all of the seven MSAD 44 towns. Community Concepts, a community action agency in Lewiston, asks for her help for families in the dead zones (remote places that aren’t served by an agency). Town officials and former school teachers are part of her network and help to identify families in need, too.

“I am the only one who knows who all of them are. I am the one that they see when they come to pick up for their families. Trying to keep that confidentiality as best I can,” said Wheeler.

Once she was called on Christmas Eve by a desperate grandmother whose daughter needed toys for the children. They left dinner at her sister’s house and met the woman at their garage.  Another family lost everything in a fire on Christmas day. “They had to stay in a hotel, but they had new clothes,” said Wheeler.

On the application, she asks parents for their children’s: ages, sizes and interests. She asks also for two references, but often doesn’t need to call more than one to know that there is a need.

They’ve had as many as 120 families, this year they expect 50. “We like to help the whole family. Kids appreciate when the whole family is included,” she said.

Barbie dolls wait in pretty pastel-colored bags that Wheeler sewed. Irene Anderson, of Albany, who passed away a few years ago, made the doll clothes. “She was an inspiration to us. Her hands were so crippled with arthritis. I could not believe she did this,” said Cooley, one of Wheeler’s elves. “She could make potholders like nobody’s business. Sometimes she’d just come out to sit with us,” said Wheeler.

Asked about her co-founder and husband, Wheeler says, “He’s a good guy. Michael George Wheeler, that’s who he is and everybody knows him. He was born and raised in this town.” The Wheelers have two sons and five grandchildren.

Asked if having young children inspired her generosity, Wheeler said no, it started further back. “When I was young, my parents had five kids, my dad worked three jobs just to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. I remember Salvation Army and Goodwill coming to the door, dropping off food or gifts. I always said the day would come that I could give back. Well here I am. There’s a need and it doesn’t take much.”

Wheeler’s family needed help for most of her childhood, “My dad struggled. He was an alcoholic, but he tried.”

“There are people in my past who made me who I am today. My childhood friend Nonie (Fillinger) Spaulding and her family. She passed away. She and I were friends for over 5o years,” said Wheeler, her voice breaking, “Her family (of 7) took me in and helped me in my teenage years when my parents were struggling. They accepted me. That’s part of why I am who I am today.”

For the past 15 or so years, the United Bikers of Maine have met Wheeler in Rumford to donate toys they collect at a summer fundraiser.  Asked if she went via car or sleigh, she said, “I have a sleigh, but I go by van, to fit everything.”