Giving Tree requests surpass previous years

There’s still time to stop at the Mirror-Reporter office and choose your Giving Tree ornaments before the biggest shopping weekend of the year.

The need is great this year and help is needed to provide a Merry Christmas for more than 70 Clear Lake families.  A total of 210 ornaments are on the 27th annual Giving Tree displayed in the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter office at 12 N. 4th St.  That number is one of the highest in recent years.

The office is open today (Wednesday, Nov. 23) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Clear Lake School District was in charge of distributing, as well as processing the forms filled out by parents specifying needs they have for their children.  The school district then provides the Mirror-Reporter with ornaments representing the needs of each child.  Other ornaments will list the size of a family requesting a food gift card.

Again this year, the Giving Tree is asking that gifts of food be made with a gift card.  The card may be presented with a small treat, but the food gift must be in gift card form, rather than boxes of non-perishable items.  The change was necessitated by the overwhelming amount of food given in the past, as well as the challenge of making timely deliveries to the large number of recipients.

This year gifts must be brought to the Mirror-Reporter office by Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Questions regarding The Giving Tree should be directed to Sara Puttmann at Clear Lake Schools, 641-357-5288.  Those with questions about purchasing gifts or food for families, or wishing to make a donation which will be dedicated to the Giving Tree, should contact Marianne Morf at the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter, 357-2131.