With the holidays coming soon, organizations and businesses in the area are planning charitable efforts and looking for community support. Here are details on some of those events. Those who want to add a charitable effort to this list can email the details to city@lmtribune.com.
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The Christmas Wishes to Our Heroes Overseas fundraiser seeks to send Christmas care packages to American soldiers stationed overseas. The group will be taking cash donations until Dec. 12 at the VFW Sourdough Post 10043, 1104 Warner Ave., Lewiston. Donations can be taken to the VFW from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; the Asotin County Family Aquatic Center, 1603 Dustan Loop, Clarkston, attention Susan; or at any P1FCU branch, Account 244211. Those in the area who have troops stationed overseas and want them to get a care package can arrange for that by emailing the organizers at christmaswishestoourheroes@gmail.com. This is the 10th year of the program. The goal this year is to serve 654 Idaho National Guard soldiers and 371 Washington National Guard soldiers who are deployed in Syria and Iraq, as well as Idaho Army soldiers deployed in the Middle East. More details are also available by calling Eva Smathers, (509) 254-7901; Susan Comstock, (509) 758-2234; or Mary Oler, (208) 283-8551.
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The Christmas Connection and Community Dinner program, organized by St. Vincent de Paul in Clarkston, is entering its 37th year. Its goal is to help 700 or more families in the area be able to afford food and toys for children 15 and younger at Christmas. Donations can be sent to Christmas Connection, care of St. Vincent de Paul, 604 Second St., Clarkston, WA 99403. Families can also apply for Christmas Connection benefits on Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Clarkston through Dec. 9. Those applying must register in person and bring some form of identification and proof of residency. The items will be for all of the people in the home. Those who are disabled or homebound may contact Sharon at (509) 758-7061 to apply. The program is open to families living in Anatone, Asotin, Clarkston, Lewiston, Lapwai, Culdesac, Genesee, Colton and Uniontown. Celebration day, which will include a meal and prizes that will be raffled off, is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 17 and the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds.
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The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots collection efforts will run through Dec. 18. Toys will be collected each Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The toys will be distributed to the eight-county region around Lewiston and Clarkston. More information is available by contacting coordinator Jim White at (208) 746-5842 or at toysfortots.org.
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The Sharing Tree for Latah County is set up at the Palouse Empire Mall. Red tags with gift requests for children are on the tree. Gifts can be returned unwrapped by Dec. 13 to the main office at the Genesee school. Those with questions may contact Melissa Hanson (208) 285-1162 or mhanson@sd282.org. This project is sponsored by the Genesee Education Association, with the intent to provide Genesee children winter clothing, new clothes and gifts for Christmas. Last year, the project provided gifts for 19 families.
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Those who want to help fulfill the wishes of 226 residents of care centers and adult family homes in the region can find the gift list on the Tribune website at this link: bit.ly/3VJ66FT. Anyone wishing to give a gift may select a number and gift from the list and bring it to the Lewiston Tribune between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. The gifts must be new and must be received at the Tribune no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 16.
