Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
As the holiday season approaches, the Washakie County Ministerial Association Food Pantry is gearing up to spread cheer through its Christmas Basket program.
CHRISTMAS BASKETS
Director Jennifer Beasley has confirmed that the deadline to apply for a Christmas Basket was Nov. 16, and the response has been overwhelming. This year, the organization is set to assist over 200 families in the area.
The application process is designed to be straightforward. Individuals were able to visit the Washakie County Ministerial Association food pantry, fill out an application, and select their preferred side dish for the Christmas meal. They also had the option to choose whether the meal would be delivered or picked up. Additionally, there was a section for families with children in fifth grade and under, allowing them to participate in the Angel Tree program.
The distribution of the Christmas Baskets is scheduled for Dec. 20.
In addition to the Christmas Basket program, the Angel Tree initiative, directed by Nancy Frederick, is also in full swing. This year, angel trees have been set up at several locations, including Blair’s, Big Horn Federal Bank, Security State Bank, ANB Bank, Gottsche Rehab and Wellness, and the Big Horn Coop farm store.
The Angel Trees feature tags with gift information for children up to fifth grade, ensuring each child can receive a Christmas present. Originally, 116 tags are available for community members to choose from to provide a gift for a child in need.
SILVER TREE
Similar to the Angel Trees, Northern Wyoming News is continuing its annual Silver Tree, which is for the senior citizens of Washakie County. This will be the seventh year that Northern Wyoming News has done the Silver Tree.
The idea for the Silver Tree originated from the staff at the Northern Wyoming Daily News. "As a business in Worland, we wanted to do something for Christmas to support our community. We know at Christmas time there are many wonderful programs to help ensure children have a merry Christmas. We wanted to extend that and reach out to our senior community, recognizing many people may be alone during the holidays," NWN Manager Karla Pomeroy said.
The Silver Tree operates similarly to The Angel Trees. When you walk into Northern Wyoming News, you'll find a Christmas tree on each end of the front counter. Each tree is adorned with multiple silver bell tags with gift ideas that people can select. This year, there are a total of 66 silver bells available.
The information on each tag was gathered by the Ten Sleep Senior Center, the Worland Senior Center and the Worland Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. According to Pomeroy, packages need to be wrapped and brought back to the Northern Wyoming News office at 201 North Eighth by Friday, Dec. 13. They will be delivered to the three organizations on Dec. 18, after which they will be distributed to seniors.
"We hope the Silver Tree can make their holiday brighter," Pomeroy stated.
TOY DRIVE
The Worland Fire Department is also getting ready for its long-standing tradition of spreading joy to local children in need through its annual Children's Toy Drive. This year, the fire department continues its commitment to supporting children up to age 18.
The Christmas donation barrels will be distributed to Bloedorn Lumber, Ace Hardware, Bomgaars, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Blair's by Black Friday, according to Holly Getzfreid, a volunteer at the Worland Fire Department.
Community members are encouraged to contribute new, unwrapped toys to brighten the holidays for children in the area.
According to Getzfreid, collected toys will start to be delivered on Dec. 23 at around 5:30 p.m. People interested in receiving toys for their children need only respond to the post the Worland Fire Department will post on its Facebook page, which outlines the application process. Individuals can apply until Dec. 21.