Thank you

Christmas wishes come in all shapes and sizes - from car repairs and televisions, remote controlled cars and DVDs, to socks, gloves and hats. And who grants these Christmas wishes? The donations come from local businesses, community service organizations and individuals throughout Grant County. This year, the staff at New Hope Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Crime Victim Services has been overwhelmed with the generosity of the donors.

The names of families in need are submitted by the advocates, and the donors begin calling around Thanksgiving saying "we'd like to adopt a family (or two, or three or eleven) for Christmas". The donors are then provided with the wish lists for a particular family. This year, 38 families were adopted, serving 145 adults and children. Many of the families are low or no income and receive some State assistance.

Students at Frontier Middle School donated gifts for eleven families. One family had recently been a victim of a burglary, and Santa's helpers at Frontier provided them with a new television. These donations come from the heart and it shows. Each gift is wrapped with care and some even come with notes wishing the family a very Merry Christmas. And, Chief Moses Middle School held a toy drive and donated toys, gloves and hats to keep kiddos warm during these cold winter months. Seeing the joy (and sometimes even tears of joy) on the family members' faces when they receive their boxes of gifts is priceless.

So, to each and every donor of holiday gifts to New Hope, who helped make some families' Christmases as bright as the star on top of the tree, we say "thank you" from the bottom of our hearts.

Carolyn Pence

Director, New Hope Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

Moses Lake