A local giving tree continues to assist Trafalgar families in making sure no child wakes up on Christmas morning without a present.
Since 1990, the Trafalgar Tree of Caring has helped families of the Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school district. Each year, paper ornaments for different children are placed on two trees located at the Place for Hair and First Merchants Bank in Trafalgar. Written on the ornaments are the child’s name and some items on their Christmas list. Volunteers can pick up ornaments and go shopping for the gifts on the list.
“I don’t want any child to wake up on Christmas morning without something,” coordinator Beth Riedal said.
Last year, about 30 families were helped. Names are still coming in for this year, so there is not an exact number of families that have ornaments yet, Riedal said.
Riedal and other volunteers spend time equally dividing items on different ornaments for people to pick. Riedal said for the same child, she will place multiple ornaments and write clothes on one ornament and toys on another. This is to divide up the costs for volunteers and make sure a child gets multiple presents on Christmas. If a family has more than one kid, they make sure the amount of gifts are equal for each kid, she said.
Volunteers can also shop for the parents, Riedal said. She said many parents ask for gift card to take their families out to eat.
“It’s the simple things that we do every day that we take for granted that these people can’t do,” Riedal said.
Many volunteers come from local organizations, Riedal said. Church groups and the fire department often take a family off the tree.
Lamb Lake Bass Masters, located in Trafalgar, raises money each year to purchase items from the tree, Riedal said. This year, the club wants to help 50 children.
“This particular group is awesome because they take the parents shopping and let them choose for their kids,” she said.
Riedal can’t stress how important the giving tree is to families each year, she said.
“We have so many thankful people because otherwise their kids would not get anything,” she said.
The Tree of Caring is searching for enough volunteers to take names off the trees. Ornaments can be taken from either tree at the First Merchants Bank or the Place for Hair. Monetary or toy donations are also accepted if people don’t want to choose a name.
“We need people to go take names. Please go take ornaments and shop,” Riedal said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”How to help” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The Trafalgar Tree of Caring is looking for volunteers to sponsor families. To donate, go to one of the the two following locations to pick an ornament off the tree. Monetary donations are also accepted.
Gifts need to be returned back to the businesses by Dec. 14.
Questions? Contact Beth Riedal: 317-409-1464
The Place for Hair, 100 State Road 135, Trafalgar
Monday: 8 a.m. to noon
Tuesday and Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wednesday and Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
First Merchants Bank, 110 State Road 135, Trafalgar
Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon
[sc:pullout-text-end]
