Annual trolley tour delivers holiday cheer




Jingled Elves after their “flash mob” dance at Mercato

Jingled Elves after their “flash mob” dance at Mercato

Jingled Elves are coming to Mercato on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and will do their first “flash mob” of the evening, dancing on the green, in what has become their Christmas tradition.

“It’s fun. There’s a lot of camaraderie,” said Donna Issenmann, president and founder of Jingle Elves, “and we do something good for other people.”

Their mission is to help women and children. Each year the women who are participants and the sponsors are welcome to nominate their charities, then they vote on them. “It’s a democracy, so to speak,” said Issenmann. This year the charities will be Baby Basics, Laces of Love, Shelter for Abused Women and Children, Pace Center for Girls and Youth Haven.

When Hurricane Ian hit in September they decided they would help some group immediately when people needed assistance the most. The Community Foundation suggested the Hunger & Homeless Coalition. They voted and within days, cut a check for the coalition for $15,000.

Jingled Elves dance Dec. 6.

Jingled Elves dance Dec. 6.

The other charities “are going to get whatever we have after we pay our bills,” said Issenmann. “Our vendors are also sponsors. Nobody takes a salary. Everybody that is involved does it gratis.”

After the first flash mob of the evening, the women will have a boxed dinner on the lawn, then they get into the four trolleys. Not everybody takes the trolley and some people don’t want to do the flash mob, they just want to shake pom poms, but everybody pays $175 to participate. The trolley tour drives through Victoria Park, described as a winter wonderland. The next stop is Venetian Village, where the Jingled Elves do another flash mob dance at approximately 7 p.m. (This year they will not be doing a flash mob in front of Sugden Theater because the Christmas Parade was changed to Dec. 6.) Then the trolleys will head over to Mercato for the after-party with a DJ.

Shop & Share events sponsored by local stores will also provide contributions with a percentage of sales going to Jingled Elves. J. McLaughlin will have a Shop & Share event at both of its stores on Friday, Dec. 2, and Lilly Pulitzer will also have a Shop & Share at both of its stores on Dec. 3.

“To have as many sponsors as we do, we’re really really really lucky this year,” said Issenmann. “We’re hoping to give at least $100,000 to charities. That’s what we’re really excited about. It’s just one night. It’s just a trolley tour but so many people believe in the whole concept.”

Harleigh Kehoe, secretary of the board for Jingled Elves, said, “The spirit is incredible. It trickles down from Donna’s enthusiasm.”