Believe Tree applications due Friday
By Sam Waller
Deadline for two holiday programs conducted by the Albany Ministerial Alliance is rapidly approaching.
Applications for the Alliance’s Believe Tree for Teens and Christmas Basket campaigns are due Friday, Nov. 18.
Believe Tree for Teens provides gifts for approximately 40 junior high and high school students in Shackelford County each year.
The annual Christmas Basket food drive strives to provide a box filled with the ingredients needed for a traditional holiday meal to families in need of assistance.
Applications for both programs are available at local churches and The Albany News. Applications for Believe Tree for Teens are also available at ResourceCare.
Meanwhile, Resource Care is conducting its annual holiday programs ranging from helping with Toys for Tots to Adopt-a-Senior.
Information and applications are available at ResourceCare and other locations.
The filled-out applications can be turned back in at the same locations.
Believe Tree
For Teens
The Feed Store accepts donations for Believe Tree for Teens.
The teens can be enrolled in the program by either their parents or by a school counselor.
Trees will be delivered to local churches by early next week. Gifts are due back by Friday, Dec. 9, with gift pickup on Sunday, Dec. 18.
Christmas Baskets
Albany Ministerial Alliance’s Christmas Baskets will be distributed at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Moran recipients can pick up their baskets at 3:00 p.m. that day at First Baptist Church of Moran/
Baskets for Vittles by Vehicles recipients will be delivered Monday, Dec. 19 with their meals.
Donations for the holiday meals can be handed to any ministers in the Alliance or mailed to the Ministerial Alliance at PO Box 3084, Albany, Texas 76430.
Toys for Tots
Marine SSgt. Doug Beaty coordinates the local Toys for Tots campaign, which provides gifts for Albany children from infants through sixth grade, working through the Resource Center.
Those in need of assistance from the program should turn in completed applications to Resource Care before the deadline on 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1.
ResourceCare provides Beaty with the ages and genders of children registered for the program.
The toys will be available for parents to pick up from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Youth Center.
Beaty has toy collection boxes set up at Albany High School and Dollar General. Monetary donations are being accepted at Prairie Star.
“If anybody else in town wants to have toy box or a monetary donation box, they can contact me at 254-212-9684,” Beaty said.
Adopt A Senior
ResourceCare still needs individuals who would be willing to adopt Senior Citizens and fulfill their wish lists.
ResourceCare’s Ragan Riley said those unable to adopt a senior but who still want to help may do so by donating Brookshire’s gift cards, allowing recipients to purchase perishable items such as meat, cheese, bread, and milk.
Riley said items such as unscented lotions and soaps, paper towels, and toilet paper are needed.
Gifts, which should be unwrapped, need to be dropped off at the Youth Center by Friday, Dec. 2 so they can be wrapped.
Gifts will be delivered with the Vittles by Vehicle meals by FCCLA students the week of Christmas.
To adopt a senior citizen, contact Riley at 325-762-2447, ext. 102.
Additional Needs
Riley said Resource Care still needs donations for all its Christmas outreach programs. Items sought include blankets, hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.), and paper products (paper plates, plastic cups, plasticware, paper towels, etc.).
Monetary donations are also welcomed, Riley said.
Blanket Drive
Shackelford County 4-H members are collecting blankets for senior citizens and other families in the community.
Anyone wishing to donate a blanket or funds can contact Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell at 325-762-9435.
