(VOXtra) - It's a big holiday wrap for the 2023 Children's Holiday Magic Project (CHMP) - the annual project that brightens the days of children who must spend their holidays in Children's Hospitals, and their siblings.

On Friday, the all-volunteer, non-profit CHMP organization will begin shipping 7,000 "Care Deer Packs" to 70 hospitals worldwide, which the children will open to find a link to a radio-style recording of holiday music and stories of all faiths and celebrations, plus a 12-page coloring/activity books and box of crayons.

And on Tuesday, December 12, the CHMP's annual fundraiser, An Evening of Holiday Magic UNPLUGGED, will be held at Tavola Nostra, 1040 University Ave., in San Diego, CA.

The event features "Italian family recipes" with appetizers, pasta, pizza, salad, desert, beer, wine, and the signature cocktail, the Holiday Magatini!

The evening also offers entertainment from the CD's volunteer talent and recording artist Lele Rose singing the CHMP's signature song, Believe. (Take a photo with Santa, too.)

Click here for tickets. And even if you cannot attend in person, donations are appreciated to keep this program humming and children smiling.

Voice actor/producer Jeff Gelder (pictured receiving the 2023 VO Atlanta Unicorn Award) is the founder and organizer of the Holiday Magic, a Gift for Children of All Ages CD project, now in its 21st year. Repeat: 21st year.

"Though it takes hours and hours of work and many, many volunteers and lots of donations, when it's all said and done, it is such a good feeling to see the kids smile," Jeff says.

"This small gift can really take away what they're going through, at least for a short time."

And for Jeff and all volunteers, he adds, "It's the gift that keeps on giving."

Jeff's devotion to the project has long been noticed and appreciated, of course. And this past spring at the 2023 VO Atlanta conference, Jeff received the coveted Unicorn Award for his selfless community service.

Each year the Holiday Magic takes on a new theme, story and songs.

This year's "Accepting Change Can Be Good" theme tells a tale titled "Tumble All the Way!"

Children listening will follow Jeffrey the Surfer Reindeer and gang as they take a pre-holiday vacation to New Mexico to meet Jeffrey's friend, Tumble the Snowman. Along the way they sample local cuisine, take a hot air balloon ride, and share fun stories and inspirational traditional and non-traditional songs.

Listen to recording.

J. Michael Collins - a newcomer to the project this year - is the voice of Tumble the Snowman. And many favorite character voices reappear from past years, along with behind-the-scene volunteers.

The 2023 volunteers include:

Studio time and production skills were provided by:

The project also has a hard-working Board of Directors.

"This could not have been done without each of their generous contributions," Jeff says.

Year-to-year, one of Jeff's biggest challenges is enrolling volunteers and board members.

"Everyone has very busy lives right now, and we're still rebounding from the pandemic years. I'm hopeful that more wonderful, generous people will step forward and join me in the effort to continue this project," Jeff says.

He also hopes the VO Atlanta Unicorn Award has "exposed a whole new audience to the Children's Holiday Magic Project, and that I can get a lot more talent involved in our outreach to kids who are spending their holidays in a hospital."

For more about this annual project and to volunteer, visit https://HolidayMagicCD.com

To donate, visit https://holidaymagiccd.com/donate

And for tickets to the December 12 fundraiser: https://holidaymagiccd.com/events

You can also write to: info@HolidayMagicCD.com.