Hope everyone is thinking about Jingle Bells, snow, frosty noses and the 2014 Dove & Northeast Community Fund Christmas Baskets. Plans are well underway and lists are being checked twice. We give reverence to the spiritual side of the season but there is also a side that reminds some families of their difficulties and sometimes shortcomings making ends meet on a daily basis in this economy, let alone purchasing gifts for their children at Christmas.
Please be thinking of how you, your group, your family, or your business can become involved in this meaningful annual tradition. You could pick up a few extra items as you shop for everyday food items and also for an extra item you think a child would like as a gift. However, please keep in mind - some children don't receive Christmas presents at all, unless they are donated. There are some families in our community that are facing a very bleak Holiday Season due to the ups and downs in these tough economic times and some of them are experiencing this for the first time in their lives. Imagine having to explain to your child there would be no gifts for them this Christmas. If you have no time to shop for items we will accept cash or checks and send out our own special team of volunteer bargain shoppers when the donations do not meet our needs. Many of us at Dove feel that helping others is that Alittle extra icing on the cake@ that makes Christmas more meaningful, how about you? Make your compassion shine, through the joy of giving. It can become contagious so pass it on!
Francie Johnson
WE ARE ASKING IF YOU WILL HELP US WITH DONATIONS!
New hats, gloves and or mittens for children & adults, new toys for infants and children up to and including 17 years of age. Do not wrap Deliver to Decatur First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, 201 W. North St. If you feel the need to donate before the 15th please feel free to bring your donations to the Dove Community Services/Decatur Area Project offices on the program level behind the building of 302 S. Unions St. or call 428.6616 and ask for someone in Community Services to make other arragnments.
We will also need full, unused rolls of wrapping paper and rolls of tape to put in each gift basket for the parents to wrap their child's gift when it comes to them.
Food Items
Please notify Dave or Jerry at the Northeast Community Fund of all intended food donations before you take them - 429.5846
December 16th
Canned and non-perishable food - Deliver to the NECF, 825 N. Water St.
December 17th
Perishable food - frozen hams, turkeys, etc.B Notify Jerry or Dave before December 15th and deliver to the NECF, 825 N. Water St.by December 17th.
There will be volunteer opportunities the week of December 15th through December 19th with sorting, counting, shopping, filling food and gift baskets. We will also need volunteers to help with delivering the baskets on Saturday, December 20th. If you would like to help with any aspect of the gift basket tasks please contact Francie Johnson or Angie Williams at Dove Community Services / Decatur Area Project at 428.6616. If you would like to help with the food part of the baskets please contact Jerry Pelz or Dave Hinkle at the Northeast Community Fund, 429.5846.
