It is the season of giving in Sisters

Volunteers in the greater Sisters area are once again celebrating the holiday season with several activities during the month of December, including: the holiday lights display at the main fire station in downtown Sisters, Spirit of Christmas gift drive, and the community Christmas dinner.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association is sponsoring the annual “Spirit of Christmas Giving Tree” to provide Christmas gifts to families in need in Sisters Country this holiday season. The Association expects to serve close to 200 children this year.

Gifts are available to children age newborn to seniors in high school, of low-income families who live within the Sisters or Black Butte School Districts. Applications for the program are available to be picked up now at the following locations: Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank, Furry Friends Foundation, and the FAN office in Sisters. Applications are due by Friday, December 2 at 5 p.m. in order to receive a gift. Please get your applications in early, so your request can be filled.

To donate to the Spirit of Christmas program, please collect a tag with items requested by the families at one of the “Spirit of Christmas Giving Trees,” purchase a new gift listed on the tag, deliver the unwrapped gifts with the tag to the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District as soon as possible and by no later than December 12. Spirit of Christmas trees are located at Sisters Ray’s Food Place, Sisters Bi-Mart, Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Station, Black Butte Ranch Post Office, and Black Butte Ranch Police Department. Tags will be available to collect from all locations beginning Saturday, November 26.

Sarah Bialous, program leader for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, said, “While monetary donations are appreciated, the best way to help is to pick a gift tag for a child from one of the trees and purchase specific gifts requested by the families, rather than just donating a non-specific gift.”

The deadline to return your gift donation to the Fire Station is Monday, December 12, at noon. The gift requests that are not filled by the community will be filled by Fire District volunteer shoppers using donated funds, which means that no qualifying child will be left without a gift.

For those folks that would like to participate in the program but are unable to purchase a specific gift, the Association will also accept cash donations. Cash donations are tax deductible and will go toward gift buying. Monetary donations can be made at the main fire station at 301 S. Elm St. in Sisters, by mail at PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR or online at www.sistersfire.com.

Families will receive their donated gifts via a drive-through pick-up event on Saturday, December 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you haven’t seen the Christmas lights display at the main fire station at 301 South Elm Street in Sisters, be sure to drive by and stop and listen. The light display is accompanied by music each evening from parade day until after Christmas.

On Christmas Day, The Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District and the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire and Ambulance Association will once again prepare a traditional Christmas dinner, which will be served from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Hall at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Station 701, 301 S. Elm St. in downtown Sisters. To request a meal, call 541-549-0771.

“We would like to sincerely thank our partnering agencies and community organizations for their support and assistance with making this holiday season special for our Sisters Country families: Sisters Kiwanis, Furry Friends, Black Butte Ranch Police, Toys for Tots, Ray’s Food Place, and Sisters Bi-Mart,” Bialous said.

For more information, please contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 541-549-0771.

Don’t forget your furry friends

Pets are part of the family too, and Furry Friends Foundation makes sure they have a good Christmsas — and stay well taken care of year-round. To donate to Furry Friends, make a tax-deductible contribution at the Furry Friends office at 412 E. Main Ave., Ste. 4 (behind The Nugget Newspaper), mail your check to PO Box 1175, Sisters, OR 97759, or donate online by clicking on the donate button at www.furryfriendsfoundation.org.

If you need help with pet food this holiday season, call or text to schedule your no-contact pickup available every Thursday. Furry Friends has pet supplies — leashes, collars, harnesses, bowls, litter, beds, toys, treats, and more. Contact Furry Friends Foundation at 541-797-4023 or [email protected]