Giving opportunities abound this holiday season

WORLAND – This is the season for giving and in Washakie County there are several giving opportunities in the area to fulfill your generous mood.

For the entire month of December, Worland Middle School and West Side will be hosting a canned food drive. Non-perishable food items can be donated by anyone. All canned food items that are brought to will be donated to the food bank.

There are giving opportunities for residents of all ages. The Washakie Ministerial Association (WMA) is again sponsoring the angel trees for children and the Christmas food baskets.

According to Nancy Frederick with the WMA, the angel trees are an opportunity for people to give gifts for children birth through fifth grade. When families sign up for the Christmas baskets, they can also apply for their child to receive a gift. If selected, that child’s name will go onto one of five Christmas trees at one of the businesses around town. Members of the community can choose a name off of one of the trees and can get the gift for that child. Trees can be found at Blair’s Supermarket, Big Horn Federal, ANB Bank, Security State Bank and Big Horn Co-Op. Once the gift is purchased, return it to the business with the tag. Each business has their own deadline for returning the gifts. The gifts are then placed with the Christmas baskets.

The Christmas baskets are also a program done by the WMA. Christmas Baskets are essentially a box of food that equals a good Christmas meal. It consists of a turkey, some vegetables and then extra sides. According to WMA President Mike Martinson, people can sign up for these by filling out an application. They do not need to be a part of any association nor do they need to meet the requirements of the food bank. They are, however, done taking applications for this year.

The baskets will be picked up or delivered on Friday, Dec. 17. Deliveries begin at 10 a.m. and, if not delivered, can be picked up between 4 and 7 p.m. Pick up and deliveries will be set up at the Methodist R.E.R. Building.

According to Martinson, they are looking for volunteers to help deliver the food on Friday, Dec. 17 beginning at 10 a.m.

“Feeding people is an important Work of Mercy,” Martinson said. “Having a family dinner is very important as the family is the basis for society to function properly. So any way that we can help people have that family Christmas dinner is a huge benefit to society as a whole.”

Those looking to donate can donate canned goods that are not expired to the association. They also take monetary donations which can be mailed to P.O. Box 851.

The Ministerial Association has been doing these projects for over 10 years.

The Northern Wyoming News once again sponsored the Silver Tree for Seniors. The newspapers works with the Worland Senior Center and Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation for people who need a little extra Christmas cheer.

This year they had 25 silver bells with a gender, age and gift ideas. While all the “bells” have been selected, additional gifts for seniors are welcome and newspaper will work with the Worland Senior Center to give them to an elderly member of the community to make their Christmas brighter, according to Northern Wyoming News manager Karla Pomeroy.

Gifts should be returned by Dec. 16 to the Northern Wyoming News office so they can be delivered to the Center and Worland Healthcare on Dec. 17.

In Ten Sleep, The Ten Sleep United Methodist Church is bringing back the Little Shoppers for children to shop for their loved ones. Shopping will commence on Friday, Dec. 17, at 8:15 a.m. at the United Methodist Church.

New and nearly new toys and or miscellaneous gift items for little shoppers may be dropped off at Alice Beckley’s home at 213 North Pine. Items for men are especially needed.