The Bonney Lake Police Department‘s annual Giving Tree is growing steadily and organizer Barb Wigton said the yearly success of the program is thanks to a community full of behind-the-scene helpers.
Last year, the program supplied Christmas gifts to approximately 800 under-privileged children in the Bonney Lake and surrounding Pierce County areas. From infants to 18-year-olds, no one is left out when Wigton has a say in it.
“We want all the children to enjoy Christmas,” she said. “People forget the 12 to 18 year olds. It’s a lot easier to please a young child, but the teens are hurting. These are families that have nothing and we can brighten their Christmas season if we all pull together. I can’t do it by myself but we can do a lot with the help of our local businesses, service organizations and individuals it’s a blessing to give to others and this is a very giving community.”
Wigton created the Giving Tree quilt more than 20 years ago and the same quilt hangs at the Public Safety Building today. It features paper teddy bear cutouts, each of which details the Christmas wishes of a specific child. Donors are encouraged to stop by and select a teddy bear before shopping but any new toy will be accepted.
In addition to new toy donations – which may be delivered wrapped or unwrapped — the city wide food drive is also running. Nonperishable food items are requested, though donations of pet food and basic toiletries are also welcome. Half of the food drive collections will be distributed to the Bonney Lake food bank and the other half will be given to the senior center.
“The seniors are our teachers and mentors,” said Wigton. “They are the ones who taught us how to give and many of them at the senior center need our help.”
Donations can be dropped off at the Public Safety Building from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional drop off sites are located at the Justice & Municipal Center, Key Bank and Grocery Outlet. Wigton requests donations be made as early as possible, no later than Dec. 13, to ensure Santa’s elves have plenty of time to wrap and deliver the gifts. More than three truckloads of toys were taken to distribution points last year. It takes a lot of time to organize that much Christmas joy, she said.
“So much work goes in to this and our volunteers need the time to get everything done,” she said. “It’s amazing what they do. We have an entire day of wrapping and then everything gets delivered to the ten sites we operate.”
Families seeking assistance from the program are encouraged to ask their children’s school counselor about qualifications and availability. Families with children not yet in school can contact Barb Wigton at 253-863-2218.
