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Editorial: Holiday spirit is about helping others

The holiday season is here. It is a time for celebrating and spending time with friends and family. But, some people in our community are less fortunate than others. Williams is known as a generous community. With a little more than a month of 2012 remaining, the time is now to take advantage of opportunities offered in our community to help those in need by giving small amounts of time and resources.

The Williams Lions Club is busy organizing the Toys for Kids project in Williams. Toys will be provided to children 12 years and younger in the Williams area who might not otherwise have Christmas presents. Cards for children who need gifts will be available on Christmas trees at National Bank, the Williams Health Care Center and the Williams Ranger District Office. Anyone wishing to provide a toy for a child can pick a card from a tree, purchase a toy suitable for the child, wrap the gift and return the gift to the business where cards were selected by Dec. 17. Lions Club members will deliver the gifts to children's homes before Christmas. If you are aware of children in the local area who should be included on the Toys for Kids list, please contact Lion Jackie Haugen at (928) 635-5242 with the delivery address, child's name, age and sex to have them added to the list.

Another opportunity to help those in need this holiday season is ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. Williams Salvation Army representatives are asking for volunteers to ring the traditional holiday bell at select locations throughout town. If the Salvation Army has ever assisted you, ringing the bell for a few hours would be a great way to re-pay this non-profit organization. Those who want to volunteer should contact Carol Glassburn at 635-4503. If you don't have time to volunteer, show your generosity by dropping some change into the volunteers' buckets.

Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) sends Christmas boxes to area servicemen and women every year. ESA typically prepares about 45 boxes for those serving stateside and overseas. It is not cheap to mail the boxes, costing close to $1,000 in prior years. Members will pack the boxes Sunday. ESA accepts donations throughout the year to cover the postage. If you want to help with postage, contact Dorothy Miller at 635-4330. Let's all help in letting our troops know we are thinking about them.

The Williams Food Bank is seeking donations of food items for Christmas food boxes. Canned ham, tuna and chicken; canned soups, fruits or vegetables; and desserts, pasta, rice or any other food items are thankfully accepted now through the holiday. Items may be donated at 200 S. Ninth St. in the community room. Monetary contributions are tax deductible and also appreciated. Information on making a donation is available from Guy Mikkelsen at (928) 635-2913.

We urge you to share your joy this holiday season by donating time and resources to these valuable volunteer groups that provide many services not only during the holidays, but throughout the year. We appreciate all that these service groups and volunteers do. When you see them, spread more joy by telling them, "Thank you."


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