Giving Tree project needs citizens' help

The annual Giving Tree program deadline to donate gifts is Dec. 15

Directed by the Chamber of Commerce, the program is designed to provide gifts to area needy families at Christmas.

Each year hundreds of area families are served by the project.

Giving Trees are set up in a number of locations around town. On each tree are tags indicating gifts members of the needy families have requested for Christmas, ranging from clothes and toiletry items to toys and other gifts. All items purchased to fill those needs should be new, not used.

Citizens can collect one of the tags, fill the request by buying the item, and then dropping the gift, with the tag, off at the Chamber of Commerce office or the Mountain Home News.

The gifts will then be wrapped and placed in "Santa bags" for the families. However, volunteers are needed to help wrap the gifts.

Gift wrapping occurs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call the Chamber of Commerce office at 587-4334 for more details on how to volunteer.

Unassigned gifts, especially toys for the younger members of the families, can simply be dropped off at the Chamber office or the Mountain Home News, and they will be included in the Santa bags. They will be assigned to a person on the Giving Tree list based on the appropriate age and gender.

Any pre-wrapped gifts should indicate on a card what is inside (and the age and gender for which it is designed).

Tag locations can be found at: Wal-Mart, Curves for Women, Wells Fargo, city hall, Global Travel, AJ's and Hedda's Gifts.

Boxes for general donations are available at Wal-Mart.