Help others have a joyful Christmas this year

Donate to the Children’s Christmas Fund

I’ll never forget the sound of her voice. You could feel the tears …

“I don’t know how she’s going to do it?” the voice said from the other end of the phone line.

“Do what?” I asked, “And may I ask who’s speaking?”

The name came with the reply, from a voice I should have recognized.

“Can you help my neighbor? She is retired, doesn’t have much to call her own, not much to live on, she’s just scraping by, and now she has her grandchildren. They’ve moved in, come to stay, the reasons are complicated. It would be nice if she had some help … we can get these kids some clothes and extra pillows and blankets and stuff, but could you get her through Christmas? These kids don’t have much.”

The response was easy.

“Yes ma’am, we can. Let’s put our heads together to see what we can do … The Christmas part is easy. The Children’s Christmas Fund will take care of a holiday meal, presents for each of the kids, and we can see if we can’t have something in there for grandma. We’ll put out a call for the bedding. Thank you for caring.”

The gratitude in her voice was humbling.

The season is here, the season of giving, and one of reflection, a time to reflect on calls just like this. This conversation was two or three years ago. It reaffirmed why we live where we do, where neighbors care.

This year has been one many would like to forget – crop land flooded – basements flooded – perilous calving conditions. The loss for some this year has been horrific.

Yuletide season now adds to the stress, a worry grown out of love for the little ones and for your neighbors.

This year, especially, the Children’s Christmas Fund (CCF) board members could use your help. If you know of a family in need – application forms are available from the front office of the Custer County Chief, the Broken Bow Municipal Building or the lobby of H&R Block. The names of those receiving the gifts and of those making the nominations are kept anonymous.

Over the holidays CCF provides each family a Christmas dinner plus a little extra for the pantry, as well as gifts for the little ones and for our senior citizens who find themselves alone.

“I think it is important to note that 100 percent of the moneys donated to the Children’s Christmas Fund go to help those less,” CCF Board member Deb McCaslin stated. “There are no overhead costs, no salaries to pay. Everyone working for and with the Children’s Christmas Fund serves as a volunteer. The fund is there to help families in need, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year as needs occurred.”

Checks should be made out to the Custer County Foundation, ear-marked for the Children’s Christmas Fund, and either mailed to the Children’s Christmas Fund at PO Box 24, Broken Bow, NE 68822, or dropped directly off at the Custer County Foundation or the Custer

County Chief.

PLEASE NOTE: Names of those donating to the Children’s Christmas Fund will be recognized in the Chief just after the first of the year. Please remember to annotate how you would like the recognition to read and if the donation is in someone’s memory.

Thanks everyone for thinking of others during this holiday season!

For additional information email

CusterCountyChildrensFund@gmail.com.