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Published October 21, 2009, 01:07 PM

Sharing Families sets holiday goals, deadlines

A Christmas program active in the River Falls community for over two decades is gearing up for its 2009 campaign.

A Christmas program active in the River Falls community for over two decades is gearing up for its 2009 campaign.

During their Oct. 15 planning meeting, Sharing Families board members agreed the program will aim to help 50 local families by giving them Christmas gifts and groceries.

This is the same goal set and met last year.

The program will again provide $125 grocery packages to each family plus extra $25 grocery gift certificates to families with five or more people.

There will be dropoff boxes at local banks for donations of money. Checks may also be mailed to Sharing Families, P.O. Box 701, River Falls, WI 54022.

Donors are asked to bring gifts and clothing to the River Falls Journal, 2815 Prairie Drive.

Plans are to publish the first family profiles before Thanksgiving. The deadline for bringing in gifts will be 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15. Gifts will be distributed Dec. 17-19.

The River Falls Journal began the Sharing Families program in 1988 and still coordinates it.

Sharing Families is now incorporated as a nonprofit corporation so contributions are tax deductible. Receipts are available.

Members of the board of directors are Mary Betzel, Judie Caflisch, Bonnie Carroll, Jerry Carter, Steve Dzubay, Mary Conroy-Johnson, Pam Herink, Roger Leque, Rosalie Walker and Judy Wiff.

The project operates in cooperation with volunteers from other local agencies who screen the applicants.

Profiles of the recipient families and their needs will be published in the Journal starting mid-November.

Persons willing to help may:

  • Make a donation of money to buy food, toys and clothing. (No cash will be given to families.)

  • Sponsor a child or family by buying the items they have requested. Those who decide to do that are asked to call the Journal’s Vera Roy-Stoeberl at 426-1046 or Judy Wiff at 426-1049.

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

    Employee groups, students and service groups often “adopt” families, buying gifts and clothing for each family member.

    Cash donations may be mailed to Sharing Families, dropped off at a participating bank (Those will be identified by Nov. 1.) or brought to the Journal office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

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