Sisters in giving mode for holidays

For the past several years the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and their staff have worked alongside the Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank and the Family Access Network (FAN) to ensure all families have a happy holiday.

The Tree of Giving provides over 100 kids, aged newborn to senior in high school, with packages to open on the Christmas holiday including needed clothing items and a new toy. This, coupled with the Spirit of Christmas Foodshare program, allows for families that may have fallen on hard times to have a happy holiday. Many people from Sisters support this program by pulling a tag from a local giving tree and buying toys and gifts for each child.

Two students, Hayden Jones and Cody Manzi, both Lieutenants at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District, are in charge of the event this year.

"I can see the difference we make in the community when the families come to pick up their packages," says Jones.

Families fill out applications, available at the Sisters-Fire Hall on the corner of Elm Street and Washington Avenue, the FAN office, or at the Kiwanis Food Bank. Applications include general information for the family as well as a place to describe the children in the home. The application asks the children's ages, reasonable clothing items they may need including sizes, and one toy they are hoping for during the holidays.

Tags are created and coded. They list a child's age and their wish list from the original application and are posted on four different trees throughout Sisters Country. Trees can be found at the Black Butte Ranch Police Station, Ray's Food Place, Sisters Bi-Mart and Hop & Brew. More tags go on each tree as more applications arrive throughout the month of December.

Applications went out in mid-November this year and are due back to the FAN office by December 14; gifts are due to the main Sisters fire station also by December 14. All items are then sorted by fire hall staff into boxes for each family. The families, usually just the parents, come and pick items up on Saturday, December 19.

The department stopped wrapping the gifts in 2005. Many local businesses donate wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and gift tags to send home with the families so they can wrap their own presents and place them under the tree.

In the past, tags hanging on the giving trees have mentioned wish-list items like blankets, socks, and pajamas along with toys, games, or craft kits for kids. Many community partners have stepped up to provide items: Quilts for Kids donates blankets to those families that may need them, others bring in general toys for the fire department to distribute throughout the process.

"Everyone is very appreciative when they come in," says District Administrator Julie Spor. "I love seeing the smiles on the faces of not only those who are receiving the donated gifts - but those dropping gifts off. Many people make it a family event to pull a tag or two off the Tree of Giving."

The Sisters-Camp Sherman RFPD keeps an account open throughout the year for monetary donations to the program.

"Sometimes people lose the tags or there are some that go up later and do not get pulled off the trees," says Spor. "The funds we raise throughout the year allow our staff to go out and shop for the remaining tags, that way all the kids get something."

Usually the department spends between $1,000 and $1,500 of donated funds to purchase additional items for tags that may not have been selected or turned in.

In addition to pulling tags off the trees and purchasing gifts, community members can make a cash donation. Donations can be dropped off at the fire hall on the corner of Washington Avenue and Elm Street during business hours. Cash and checks are accepted.