CASPER — There is no “Bah, humbug!” here. The Grinch who steals Christmas has been turned back.

The Elf Shop has been saved, thanks to the Natrona County School District.

It was thought to be shelved this year because of the retirement of its founder and the amount of work involved. But the opportunity for underprivileged children to buy inexpensive gifts for their family members with the help of volunteers will happen after all.

“At a staff meeting with the bus garage and Central Services, one of the bus drivers said it was being discontinued,” said Helene Crouch, program facilitator for the district’s mentoring grant.

“The mentoring group thought this was a great opportunity for us to reach out to kids with peer mentors being the elves.”

All district employees have been asked to rustle up inexpensive gifts, as well as volunteer their time, Crouch said.

Because of the short timeline for the project, she said the public’s help will be not only appreciated but also necessary.

Donations of new or gently used items for gifts that can be priced at $1 or less, as well as decorations, wrapping paper, tape, scissors and ribbon, are all needed.

Volunteers also are needed to help sort the donations, decorate the shopping area and clean up when it’s all done.

Donations will be accepted from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and from 4:30 to 6 p.m. today; Nov. 30 to Dec. 3; and Dec. 7 to 10, at 1044 Foster Road, or by appointment by calling Crouch’s office at 307-253-5270.

In addition, the downtown Self Help Center, 441 S. Center St., second floor, will take donations from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The Self Help Center’s Dee Belz founded the Elf Shop 10 years ago and worked on the project year-round as a labor of love.

Kim Cumbow, office manager at Self Help Center, said her staff is thrilled the district has stepped up.

“I am so thankful for that, because it is an enormous undertaking on their part,” Cumbow said. “I hated to see that Dee’s idea could have possibly died. We just don’t have the employees to spend the time she spent on that.”

Belz was the transitional housing director for Self Help Center’s Turning Point, which recently moved to a location with much less storage.

“I moved the Elf Shop stuff into storage when we moved,” Cumbow said.

“It is insane what a huge project it is and how much stuff she spent all year collecting. For our children to be included and to have the opportunity to make that Christmas memory is just great.”

Crouch’s Champions Mentoring program plays a key role in the resurrection of the Elf Shop. Champions Mentoring connects youth in fourth to eighth grades with community residents, as well as Central Services employees, to develop relationships in an effort to improve their own self-worth through activities during school and after-school hours.

Before Belz left Casper, Crouch was able to meet her and learn some of her ideas.

“She just kept smiling. I think she was really thrilled we were wanting to do this,” Crouch said.

The Elf Shop will be hosted at the Old Johnson Controls Building, now owned by NCSD, at 1044 Foster Road.

A special shopping period by invitation only for Make-A-Wish children, Jason’s Friends and children who live at Seton House and Turning Point takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11.

The Elf Shop will be open to preschool to sixth grade-aged children in the community from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13.

For information or to help, call Helene or Jennifer at 307-253-5270.

Contact Sally Ann Shurmur at 307-266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com.