Time again to show our caring spirit

A holiday-helping program started in 1988 now enters its 11th season.

Aimed at making Christmas brighter for local needy families, this season's Sharing Families goal is again to provide gifts and groceries to 50 Pierce and St. Croix county families.

The River Falls Journal began the program, now incorporated as a non-profit organization headed by a local board of directors. The Journal staff will continue to coordinate the program and serve as a drop off site for contributions and gifts.

Sharing Families operates in cooperation with volunteers from other local agencies who screen the applications of recipients.

Last year's program provided clothing, toys, books, games, and other Christmas gifts.

Sharing Families also provided bedroom furniture and repaired a vehicle.

One group organized a bake sale, while college students collected money to shop for items listed by individual family members. Middle school students pooled their resources to supply necessities. 4-H clubs, Bible study groups, church youth groups, parochial school students, medical clinic and hospital personnel volunteered to donate their money, time and loving spirit.

Profiles of families will be published in upcoming issues of the Journal. Readers may respond with gifts the families say they need. The names of the recipient families will remain confidential and in most cases, the Journal staff and board of directors will have no direct contact with the families.

Those willing to share in the holiday spirit may:

Make a donation of money to be used to buy food, toys and groceries (no cash will be given to the families.)

Sponsor a child or family by buying the items they have requested. Those who decide to do that should call Sue Odegard at the Journal office at 425-1561.

Add a child to their shopping list and buy a new toy or game for that child.

All items, which must be new and unwrapped, may be brought to the Journal, 112 E. Walnut St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays; and 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays; no later than Thursday, Dec. 16. Deliveries to the families will begin Saturday, Dec. 18.

Checks can be made out to the Sharing Families Project and dropped at the Journal or mailed to: Sharing Families, 112 E. Walnut St., River Falls, Wis., 54022.

Comments or questions may be e-mailed to: rfjnews@rivertowns.net