—
Although Halloween is weeks away, Christmas already is in the air.
The Tribune-Democrat Santa Fund – an annual project that provides holiday gifts for local children – begins this week in the pages of the newspaper.
Each year, the Santa Fund serves hundreds of children whose families may be facing financial hardship.
Now in its fifth year, the Santa Fund is operated by the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, which receives donations and manages the fund.
Last year, the Santa Fund served more than 1,000 local youngsters.
Mike Kane, executive director of the Community Foundation, expects the need to be just as great in 2011.
“The cutbacks in public funding are going to make this season even harder on some families,” Kane said. “The Santa Fund provides for a spot of joy during what is going to be an otherwise difficult time of year for many. The Community Foundation is pleased to be a part of this effort.”
In 2010, more than $22,000 was contributed to the fund by local individuals, organizations and companies.
Once again, Boscov’s department store in The Galleria will be the provider of gifts for the Santa Fund. Each year, Boscov’s matches by age and gender children nominated for the program with toys from the retailer’s merchandise.
Deettra Bailey handles marketing for Boscov’s stores in the region.
“All the management staff and co-workers at Boscov’s, Johnstown, are very proud to be a partner in the Santa Fund program to provide the children in our area with gifts to enable them to have a merry Christmas,” Bailey said.
Bailey said Boscov's in The Galleria will again be accepting donations to the Santa Fund at its registers, starting in mid-November, through the purchase of paper pin-ups that will be displayed at the store’s courtesy desk.
Other partners in the annual program include:
• Alternative Community Resource Program (ACRP), which coordinates with other area programs to reach out to local families, then compiles a list of children nominated to receive gifts.
• Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania, which hosts and coordinates bagging, tagging and distribution of gifts from its building in downtown Johnstown.
• AmeriCorps and the United Way, which provide volunteers in various areas.
“Our thanks to all the people who continue to support this wonderful community effort,” Kane said.
Some key dates in the 2011 Santa Fund program:
• Nov. 19, the deadline for children to be nominated.
• Dec. 2, the deadline for monetary donations.
• Dec. 14, the date of distribution of gifts to families.
Any groups or individuals interested in volunteering to help with the Santa Fund should contact Chip Minemyer, editor of The Tribune-Democrat, at 532-5091 or cminemyer@tribdem.com.
“We’re pleased here at The Tribune-Democrat to continue to be part of this great program which helps so many local kids,” Minemyer said.
“The more folks who contribute to the fund, the more we can do to brighten someone’s holiday season.”
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Raw Video: Earthquake Shakes Evacuees in Italy
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
