Local group sharing holiday spirit

The Christmas holidays will be here soon, and most of us look forward to them with great anticipation of sharing time, meals and gifts with family and friends. There are many among us who get overwhelmed and anxious about being able to provide for their families. Share the Spirit Holiday Assistance Program started in 1998 as a Lake County-only program to help children in struggling families with gifts of toys, clothes and coats at Christmas to make the holidays brighter. We also try to provide a limited number of food certificates and personal care bags for families. Since we started, we are fortunate enough to have partnered with the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program which helps us manage the daunting task of providing for these children.

In 2015 we served over 1100 Lake County children 12 and under, in over 400 families, and we can use your help again this year. Our trees covered with tags filled with children’s Christmas requests will go up in stores and banks all over Lake County around Thanksgiving so if you see one, please take a tag for someone less fortunate and help make their holiday brighter by buying one or more of the requests listed on the tag. Return the gifts to the business where you picked up the tag. Directions on what to do with the tags and gifts are posted at each of our trees.

If your family is struggling to make ends meet this Christmas, stop at the Lake County Office of Public Assistance, Public Health Department, WIC Office, Helping Hands, Job Services, or Working Innovations, to get one of our applications. Our Share the Spirit applications require photo identification and proof of residence. Please return the completed application where you received it so the application can be processed as quickly as possible. All applications must be completed and mailed to Share the Spirit by Dec. 5.

If you are a volunteer and would like to join in helping Share the Spirit, we would love to show you our worksite. We will be open for business from December 12 through December 21. Call us at 883-1046 for more information.

Share the Spirit is a nonprofit group. Donations can be mailed to Share the Spirit at P.O. Box 1341, Polson, MT 59860. Call 883-1046 for more information. Thank you and God Bless.