Community steps
up for needy kids
Editor:
We would have never thought that two years ago the Kids Free Christmas Store would grow to serve so many children as it did on Saturday, Dec. 10!
We had 145 children getting gifts at no cost for their family members. We gave out 628 gifts.
Last year I put a box at Santiam Discount and Variety Store and requested the public to drop off new and unwrapped items under $10. Through my business and with my husband’s generous job bonus, I funded the event.
I did not want to carry the entire financial responsibility every year, so this year I recruited and got great sponsorship from some very generous local businesses. I also had individuals give me cash.
The generosity was amazing. I had five boxes for donations around town. The Sweet Home Police Department and the Sweet Home FIre and Ambulance District also contributed.
The Evangelical Church donated their gym for our Free Store and gift wrapping. The church also provided volunteers and cookies.
A local restaurant supplied three pizzas for my volunteers Friday night, Dec. 9, as we set up our store. We had 23 volunteers wrapping gifts, being personal shoppers with the children, greeters and sign in/registration table. We even had an individual that paid and then donated Christmas Trees from the Evangelical Church, if a family needed one. He purchased 18.
Thank you, again, Sweet Home for stepping up to the plate and blessing our children.
Looking forward to 2017 and how big the Annual Kids Free Christmas Store will become.
Nancy Patton, Chair
Annual Kids Free
Christmas Store