Dave Woodson of the Trenton Kiwanis Club talked about the Christmas Wish project the club conducts each year during a meeting on Thursday of the Trenton Rotary Club. L.D. Gibson was the program chairman.
Woodson said the project has been around since 1986, with the Kiwanis taking it over in 1988. The project provides Christmas gifts to needy children. The Kiwanis Club worked with the Division of Family Services until last year to come up with the list of families who have children eligible to receive the gifts. DFS is no longer involved with the program and this year the Kiwanis Club developed its own application procedures to determine where items would be taken. The project involves children in Grundy County, although Woodson said there have been some children served in surrounding counties over the years when members know there is a need. The club tries to have a minimum of three presents for each child and members try to do their best to come up with the exact present a child requests. He said the club tries to buy as much locally as possible.
Woodson said the community has been very generous in donating either money to purchase gifts or buying the actual gift themselves to then donate to the club for distribution. The project has served as many as 110 families in the past. This year, however, children in 35 families received gifts through the project.
During the business meeting, Don Purkapile was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow, in recognition of his contributions to the Rotary Foundation. This is the sixth recognition Purkapile has received.
Recognition was given to members who assisted with “ringing the bell” for the Salvation Army as well as those who will be helping with Holiday Hoops as part of Rotary Day activities on Dec. 29. There will be no club meeting on that day.
The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, Jan. 5 with Chris Hoffman as the program chairman.