Still time to give at the Giving Tree

ROYAL CITY - If the Christmas spirit is moving you to do something special but you can't figure out what it is, Red Rock Elementary School's Rich Gregoire has a suggestion.

Take a little jaunt over to Red Rock and pick a child's name from the Red Rock Elementary Giving Tree. Then come up with an appropriate Christmas gift for that child.

The giving tree is a long-standing tradition at Red Rock. It was instituted to assure that children of families with economic struggles receive a Christmas gift.

The tree is set up at the start of every December. It is decorated with cards, or tags, with the names of specific children. They include age/grade level and gender.

"Every year, members of the school district staff and the community choose tags," Gregoire said. "This year Red Rock has close to 100 tags that are waiting to be taken."

Persons who select a tag are asked to bring the gift and the tag to the school office. It would be preferable for the gifts to be wrapped.

"But any gift is so welcomed," Gregoire said.

Gregoire said thanks are due to the volunteers who make the program work. They set up the tree, decorate it and even wrap gifts.

- Staff report