Giving Trees, Fireman's Toybox wrap up season

With Christmas fast approaching, the Giving Trees around Colfax are wrapping up and preparing to distribute presents.

Whitman County Developmental Services Department program coordinator Janel Goebel told the Gazette Tuesday that the department's trees have finished, and she is now preparing to distribute gifts.

“There aren't any stockings left on those trees,” she said. “The trees are down now.”

Goebel said the three trees her department had set up – at the Whitman County Courthouse, the Public Service Building and at Boost Collaborative in Pullman – were able to serve 65 people. Those trees serve adults in the area, all of whom are older than 21 and the majority of which “have a developmental disability,” Goebel said.

Goebel said she began contacting residential providers and guardians in October to gather lists of three items each person wanted, all of the items being under $15. She then took the lists and put one request on each ornament.

“The goal is to get everybody at least one present,” she said.

Goebel added that some end up with two or three presents, depending on the house, as she tries to make sure everyone at the same place ends up with the same amount of gifts.

“I try to even out the presents,” she said. “Santa has got to be fair.”

The gifts gathered at those trees will be ready for pick up Friday, Goebel said. She added that she is thankful for the community's support.

“My sincere appreciation of all the giving for this year and all the years,” she said. “We have great community support. I am very appreciative of the community we live in.”

The Colfax Eagles have been keeping busy with their three trees as well. The group has had trees at U.S. Bank, Columbia Bank and the post office for about two weeks now. The deadline to purchase items for those trees is Dec. 18.

Gail Webster, who is in charge of the Eagles' trees, said Tuesday that there are about 18 stockings remaining of the more than 100 the group had initially.

“We had over 100 kids,” said Webster. “We added three kids after the trees went up, and we are just buying those ourselves.”

Webster said she is hoping to see the remaining stockings come down this week and to have the gifts purchased for those kids. She does plan to purchase items for any stockings that remain after Friday.

She added that about one third of the stockings included requests for coats, and coats were able to be purchased with Rotary money.

“We were able to buy coats for everybody that had listed coats,” she said. “That was great.”

Earlier this year, the Eagles started “Coats for Colfax” in an effort to make sure that kids were supplied with winter coats well ahead of the winter season and also to see if the number of kids requesting coats on the Giving Tree would go down. Webster said she ended up purchasing 38 coats this year.

“Next year we will be trying to do Coats for Colfax differently,” said Webster, noting that she is not sure yet how to change it up. “People did come and get coats. There just wasn't a huge coats selection for kids.”

Donations for the Eagles' Giving Tree are also still being accepted at U.S. Bank via the Colfax Eagles account.

In addition to the Giving Trees, the Fireman's Toybox has also been taking place since mid-November.

Megan Johns with the Whitman County Health Department said that the toy drive has ended and toys are now being handed out.

“They are distributing toys this week Monday through Thursday,” she said Tuesday.

Johns added that 130 kids were able to be served by the Fireman's Toybox this year.

The Colfax Rotary Club Dec. 3 gave a boost to the Giving Trees as well as the toybox fund, generating $4,155 at their annual Christmas gift auction. The club was able to donate $2,770 to the Fireman's Toybox in addition to $500 from their reserve fund. They also donated $1,385 to the Giving Tree.