'Tis the Season for Giving
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For the past fifteen years or more, the December newsletter at Meadowlark Elementary School has carried an announcement about packing Santa's Sleigh with food donations. It also alerts parents of school children about the Angel Tree, which typically goes up at Finley's Food Farm just after Thanksgiving. With the holiday season often focused on giving, residents find ways to share their resources.
To fill Santa's Sleigh, Meadowlark Elementary School conducts a food drive. The sleigh, which was used as a prop in an elementary holiday music program several years ago, sits in the entrance to the school, and the practice in December has been to donate non-perishable holiday feast items. Popular items such as stuffing mixes, canned corn or green beans, sweet potatoes, instant potatoes, gravy mix, cranberries, and jello are deposited in Santa's Sleigh.
When the project first began, food was anonymously added to Santa's vehicle, but with time, school officials noticed that donations began to wane, so the idea of holding a class competition was born. According to the school's Administrative Assistant Melissa Evans, under the influence of the competitive spirit, school officials have seen an increase in donations. "Each classroom teacher will count and keep track of the items his or her students bring in, and the top donating class gets their choice of a party featuring root beer floats or sundaes," Evans said. "That incentive encourages the students to pack the sleigh!"
The food collected is then divided into baskets for Angel Tree families or donated to the local Food Pantry. The Angel Tree program is a charity that provides toys, clothing, and food for needy families during the holiday season. In advance of the holiday season, families who are eligible to participate in the program submit requests for items needed by members of the household. An angel cut-out is created for each individual-listing significant details about gender, age, and size-and then it is hung on the angel tree.
The Angel Tree at Finley's Food Farm looks a lot like a miniature Christmas tree, but instead of traditional ornaments, it is decorated with nametags that bear gift requests from sponsored families.
Anyone wishing to donate a gift is invited to take one of these angels from the tree, purchase the appropriate gift, and deliver it to First Bank by December 9. Members of the Chinook High School National Honor Society wrap the gifts, which will be ready for families to pick up between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Blaine County Library on December 18.
Several earthly angels work behind the scenes to ensure the success of this project. One organizes the gift aspect (angel tree) along with her helpers. Another group conducts the food basket part, and anonymous donations come in as well, with another angel tracking those funds.
One of these angels reported: "It's all pretty anonymous, and I believe it's meant to be that way."
Angel Tree programs are a popular way to help families that are in need of some extra help for the holidays.
