Can you help bring joy to a child this Christmas?
TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Christmas Spirit Lincoln County United Giving Tree Program is once again working in conjunction with the Merrill Fire Fighters Charities/Tree of Hope with the goal to provide a joyful Christmas for area children. But, they need help from the Merrill and Lincoln County communities to do that.
Families facing great financial hardship this holiday season submitted confidential applications, Christmas Spirit screened those applications, and confidential children’s tags are now hanging on “Giving Trees” within our community, in the hope that individuals or groups will select one or more tags and grant a child’s wish for a Christmas gift this season.
Tags include suggestions for fun items, the child’s likes and dislikes, sizes, and also include a list of items the child needs, such as snow pants or winter boots. Participants aren’t expected to meet all of the needs on the tag, but Christmas Spirit is hoping community members will use the tags to help provide some of the gifts for area children.
“You never know what other families are going through, and as the holidays approach, the stress of trying to make things ‘nice’ for their family’s holiday can be a real issue,” Christmas Spirit organizers say. “Please consider helping these families bring smiles to the faces of their children.”
“You might participate individually or join together with others to share the spirit of the season,” they suggest. “Whatever it may be, we thank you for giving from the heart and changing the experience of the holidays for these children.”
Children’s tags are available for selecting on Giving Trees located throughout the community (see list below). Tags should be signed out at the location and returned by the date indicated there, to the location where the tag was selected. Gifts should be bagged but not wrapped, and the original tag should be affixed to the bag when it is returned.
Those who are unable to shop for a child are invited to participate by making a monetary donation that will be used to purchase gifts. Monetary donations can be mailed to: Christmas Spirit, PO Box 912, Merrill WI 54452.
2021 Giving Trees are hosted at:
• Johnson Gifts, Merrill
• Merrill Enrichment Center, Merrill
• Park City Credit Union, Merrill, Pine Ridge Ave.
• Park City Credit Union, Tomahawk
• Parks & Rec Department – Smith Center, Merrill
• Clark’s Cup N’ Cone & Cheese Shop, Merrill
• Aspirus Good Samaritan Hospital, Merrill
• Our Savior’s Church, Merrill
• Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Merrill
• St. John Lutheran Church, Merrill
• St. Stephens UCC, Merrill
• Faith Lutheran Church, Merrill
• Standard Merchantile, Tomahawk
• Community Thrift Shop, Tomahawk
• Honeycomb LOFT, Tomahawk