With Thanksgiving just behind us and the December holidays just
ahead, it
’s time to take a moment to pause and reflect. We are sure our
readers don’t need The Times to tell them to share with others less
amply provided for, but we would like to heap some praise on groups
that have already helped out – and make suggestions on how to help
this season of giving continue
.
With Thanksgiving just behind us and the December holidays just ahead, it’s time to take a moment to pause and reflect.
We are sure our readers don’t need The Times to tell them to share with others less amply provided for, but we would like to heap some praise on groups that have already helped out – and make suggestions on how to help this season of giving continue.
Here are some of the holiday angels.
As always, under the able direction of retired teacher Kiki Nakauchi, the Live Oak High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) collected and packed dozens of boxes full of Thanksgiving goodies for 125 needy families. Joining with these wonderful teens, the Morgan Hill Lion’s Club distributed the boxes.
The students at Oakwood School gave thanks for their own abundant lives by collecting and distributing food boxes – 80 bins in all.
And the employees of Coldwell Banker Realtors from Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Los Banos donated 400 turkeys to City Team Ministries in San Jose, filling a turkey gap that threatened Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless.
Now, it won’t have escaped our readers that Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and a few other celebrations are just around the corner. More food is needed for the season plus warm coats, blankets and, of course, toys for kids of all ages.
The generosity and willingness of residents and businesses to help out are two of the many reasons Morgan Hill is such a wonderful place.
Here are some suggestions on how to help:
Food collecting barrels are installed here at The Times, 30 E. 3rd St. and around town.
Toys For Tots has many hands this year, among them Gina Six, who recently received the Chamber of Commerce’s Golden Mushroom Award for her T4T services; Coldwell Banker and, of course, the U.S. Marine Corps, who started the program decades ago and keep it going, even when they have duties elsewhere, as this year.
Mike Lacerda at Lacerda Chiroctic at 17295 Monterey Road in the downtown, Coldwell Banker in Tennant Station and BookSmart, 17415 Monterey Road, are three of the many Toys For Tots collecting points for new, unwrapped gifts.
San Martin Christmas Tree Farm, 13865, Monterey Road, is collecting unwrapped, new gifts through Sunday, Dec. 19 for children ages 1-12, who live at the Emergency Housing Consortium in San Martin. And barrels are installed at the entrance to collect non-perishable food. www.smtrees.com
The City of Morgan Hill will unveil its annual Giving Tree Monday, Nov. 29, at City Hall, 17555 Peak Ave. Generous residents are invited to drop by, 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday, to choose one or more gift tags. Each has the age, sizes and gift suggestions for infants through adults; you choose whom you want to bring a smile to on Christmas morning.
Gifts should be wrapped appropriately with the gift tag attached and returned to City Hall by 5pm Friday, Dec. 10.
And, lest we forget more intellectual pursuits, BookSmart is also the South Valley collecting point for the Gift of Reading. Bring new, unwrapped books for children in English or Spanish to the store by 5pm, Friday, Dec. 3, and they will get the books to children who may not have a book of their own.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for 5:30pm Saturday, Dec. 4, for the Festival of Lights Parade and Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony downtown. The parade, and the Magic Ship of Christmas is sponsored by the Kiwanis. The parade is followed by Hometown Holidays again at the Community Center, with a display of Christmas trees for all to see. Kiwanis, by the way, is out in force this morning, decorating downtown for the holidays. Stop by and lend a hand or walk or drive down Monterey Road between Main and Dunne avenues to see their handiwork. The club is seeking additional volunteers to serve at parade marshals (782-6230).
One more don’t: don’t forget the needy are needy throughout the year, not just at holiday time.
