This time of year, there are many opportunities to give back to the community and help families in need through the holiday season. Though there are many wonderful gift-giving programs available, Wright County Public Health is again hoping to make Christmas merrier for the families that participate in the Wright County HOPES program with their Giving Tree.
As a way to help out these families and to thank them for their commitment to helping their children, for the last several years, HOPES has used the Giving Tree to allow citizens to “adopt” a child to support with a Christmas gift. Each ornament on the tree has the age and gender of a child in the program. Individuals may choose a tag or tags and purchase gifts for their chosen child.
“In recent years, we asked for pajamas and a book, and that’s what we’re asking for again this year,” said Gayleen Rutherford, HOPES coordinator. She said that parents had appreciated those gifts during the Christmas season, and that HOPES liked promoting opportunities for parents to sit down and do an activity, like read a book, with their kids. “That’s something we really encourage to promote family togetherness,” Rutherford said. She also adds that families, groups, or churches are also welcome to adopt a whole family in order to help out even more during the holiday season, and the rest of the year if you choose. And of course, any monetary donations are also appreciated during this time of year.
Last year The Giving Tree was placed at First Citizens Bank in Clarion instead of at the Public Health office, this worked out very well. First Citizens has offered to have the tree again this year. Due to COVID restrictions, the tree will be located inside the entry way of the Bank this year. The bank is located at 315 Central Ave E in Clarion. The tree will be up from November 23 through December 15. Rutherford asks that tags and gifts be returned, unwrapped, to First Citizens Bank by December 15. When you do so, you can be assured that you’re helping to brighten up Christmas morning for a child in Wright County.
