VSO Giving Tree plans announced

Parents who wish their children to be included on the Valley Service Organization’s (VSO) 2014 Giving Tree have until Thursday, Nov. 20, to submit their requests.

Kassey Westring, VSO chairman for the 2014 Giving Tree, said the forms have been sent home from school with students.

The forms provide information for the gift tags, which will include the child’s age, sex, favorite colors, interests and gift wishes. Persons wishing to provide gifts for the children can pick up the tags starting Tuesday, Nov. 25, from the tree at Town & Country Realty. 

Gifts are to be taken to Town & Country, unwrapped, by Thursday, Dec. 11 and should be accompanied by the tag. VSO will distribute the gifts to the parents at a date to be announced. 

Westring said VSO has organized this project for several years to provide gifts for Valley children who might otherwise not have much of a Christmas. In 2009 it was expanded to include group donors as well as individuals, with the groups invited to “adopt” entire families for the holidays by providing gifts for the children. Valley service clubs, church groups and fraternal organizations have been alerted to this year’s program and will be notified of family needs starting Nov. 25.

Westring emphasized that the names of all children and families involved in the project are kept in the strictest confidence, with only one VSO member having access to the information, which is destroyed upon completion of the project.

In 2013, the Giving Tree project helped make Christmas brighter for 69 children from 26 families. Eight groups “adopted” families.

Parents who wish to see their children benefit from the Giving Tree are urged to return the profile forms by Nov. 20. Forms should be sent to Kassey Westring, P.O. Box 702, Saratoga, WY 82331.