Annual Community Christmas schedule set

Parker Knox

Published: Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

By Parker Knox   Work has begun on the myriad of details involved in the Custer Community Christmas Project, a multi-faceted program whose over-riding goal is  bringing the entire community together to experience the spirit of giving  and sharing. Three principal events—a Christmas dinner, the distribution of food  baskets and Select-a-Gift all taking place on Saturday, Dec. 13—bring the  project to a culmination. The names of individuals and families in need who are potential participants are suggested by pastors, Social Services, the Custer Food Pantry, schools  and individuals. Letters are already being sent to potential participants,  asking if they wish to be part of the dinner, Select-a-Gift, the food basket  program or all three. Those persons are asked to return their letters as  soon as possible. Anyone who is in need and would appreciate participating but who does not receive a letter is welcome to contact any pastor. A person or family can  also be suggested for participation by contacting a pastor. The only stipulation is that participants be Custer County residents.  Christmas Dinner The dinner will be served at the Custer Senior Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 13. To relieve the congestion of everyone sitting down to be served at once, the meal will be a buffet-style event this year, so participants can go through the line at any time during the two-hour period.  Food Baskets One hundred thirty-six food baskets containing the makings for a bountiful Christmas dinner were shared with hungry people in the Custer community last year, thanks to the generosity of organizations and individuals. Volunteers fill the bags at the Custer Food Pantry using food items donated to the pantry and purchased with money donated to the pantry. A list of needed items for the food baskets will be attached to the canvas Food Pantry bags at the grocery stores. Community members are encouraged to buy any or all of the items listed. Items placed in these bags and left at the grocery store will be delivered to the pantry. All donated food items not used in baskets are retained at the Custer Food Pantry for distribution there.  Select-a-Gift This phase of the Community Christmas Project ensures that families in need are able to experience the joy of giving and receiving gifts. Gifts are gathered in November and December for all age groups—children, teenagers, mothers and fathers. On Select-a-Gift Day, Dec. 13, participating families are able to pick one gift for each family member. The children as a group pick one present for Mom and one for Dad, and the parents pick one present for each child. These gifts are wrapped on the spot and tagged for opening on Christmas Day. Angel trees have already been placed in participating area churches and at First Western Bank, Curves, and Telco Federal Credit Union. Community residents are encouraged to take angel tags from one of these trees and buy a gift for the person on each tag chosen. Those gifts are to be returned unwrapped to the church or business where the tag was picked up by Wednesday, Dec. 10. Then the gifts will be collected for Select-a-Gift distribution at the Custer Middle  School small gym starting at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 13. A gift suggestion list appears beside each angel tree at each location. Last year the community’s sharing spirit enabled 87 area families to experience a happier Christmas with over 300 gifts distributed. Any gifts not given out in Select-a-Gift are donated to WEAVE, the local abuse shelter, and to the sheriff’s department for families and children in need. How the Community Helps There are numerous ways any resident of the community can help in the Custer Community Christmas Project: • Take one or more angel tags from any of the trees at churches, Curves, Telco or First Western Bank; buy gifts for those persons and return them unwrapped by Dec. 10 to the place where the tags were picked up. • Attend the Select-a-Gift Christmas Party Buffet and Wine tasting fundraiser hosted by Sage Creek Grille on Dec. 7.  For tickets call 673-2424 or 673-3029. • Help with the gift wrapping at the Select-a-Gift site at the middle school gym. For information on when and where to report, contact Sandy McFarland at 673-3029. • Donate wrappings, ribbons and bows for the Select-a-Gift wrapping. Also call Sandy McFarland for this information • Help prepare and/or serve the Christmas dinner on Dec. 13. For information on where help is needed, contact Ginny Myers at 673-3056 • Plan and coordinate table decorations for the dinner, contact Ginny Myers 673-3056 • Serve as a table host at the dinner, contact Ginny Myers at 673-3056 • Volunteer to help clean up after the dinner at the senior center so those who prepared the meal don’t also have to do the clean-up. Contact Ginny Myers at 673-3056. • Help fill the food baskets at the Custer Food Pantry or help deliver those that are not picked up. For information in helping in this area, call Kim Canete at 673-3753. • Contribute a cash donation for purchases of food for the dinner or the baskets or for Select-a-Gift presents. Donations can be given to any pastor or sent to Sandy McFarland at 75 Crook St. in Custer. • Respond to letters being sent by the Custer Ministerial Alliance to  businesses and individuals asking for cash donations to support all of these Christmas Project events.