The season of giving begins

The 23rd annual Giving Tree is now displayed in the Mirror-Reporter office.  The tree displays the needs of local children and families during this holiday season.

Sign-up forms for the Giving Tree were distributed at Parent-Teacher conferences held in the Clear Lake School District.  They were also sent home with Ventura Elementary School students, as well as those attending Head Start and Lake Town Charlie Brown.  Questions regarding sign-up for the Giving 

Tree should be directed to Bethany Hythecker or Sally Duesenberg at Clear Lake Schools, 641-357-5288.

The school district provides the Mirror-Reporter with ornaments representing the needs of each child.  Other ornaments will list the size of a family requesting a gift of food.  

New this year, the Giving Tree is asking that gifts of food be made with a gift card.  The card may be presented with a small treat, but the food gift must be in gift card form, rather than boxes of non-perishable items.  The change is necessitated by the overwhelming amount of food given in the past, as well as the challenge of making timely deliveries to the large number of recipients.

Those with questions about purchasing gifts or food for families, or wishing to make a donation which will be dedicated to the Giving Tree, should contact Marianne Morf or Deb Betz at the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter, 357-2131.