Othello Christmas Baskets
File photo Volunteer shoppers put items into baskets during last year’s drive to be distributed to needy families in the community.
File photo Cameron Williamson sorts and stacks handmade quilts donated for last year’s Othello Christmas Basket project. Raising money for the Christmas baskets involves most of Othello, in one way or another.
OTHELLO — Donations are still being accepted for the annual Othello Christmas Basket project, a town tradition that dates back more than four decades.
Organizers are looking for donations of money, food, toys and gifts, said Ken Johnson, the second generation of his family to be involved in the project. “It’s been going on 41 years now,” Johnson said of the Christmas basket project.
Practically the entire town of Othello raises money, donates food, toys and gifts, helps deliver baskets on distribution day. Schools, businesses, clubs, churches, individuals, almost everybody in town is involved one way or another.
Schools and churches sponsor food drives to collect cans, boxes and bags of non-perishable food. Individuals donate money and toys, and groups around town, from downtown businesses to healthcare organizations, all have their own yearly projects. “The fire department just sponsored a breakfast,” Johnson said, which raised about $2,800.
“It’s just kind of a community project,” Johnson said.
The fire department also donates space in the station to store and sort all the donations. Volunteers set up shelves and do all the sorting, from canned goods to blankets. The donations will change from year to year, of course, and for 2017 the baskets will include fresh milk.
“We try to serve about 350 families.” Families are recommended by local churches and schools, one basket per family. Baskets are distributed about 10 days before Christmas; for 2017, distribution is scheduled for Saturday.
“The purpose is to have a good meal that day (Christmas) and a few extra groceries,” Johnson said. Volunteers assemble the baskets in distribution day, and the baskets are delivered by other volunteers.
The crew meets for a breakfast of coffee and donuts, and then they get to work. “We have what we call ‘shoppers,’” who are armed with a list of for each family and who choose from among the donations, Johnson said.
Donations of money, food, toys or gifts can be dropped off at Johnson’s Glass & More, 20 S. Broadway Ave. in Othello, or monetary donations can be deposited at the Othello branches of U.S. Bank or Columbia Bank.
The project always can use volunteers, Johnson said, especially Dec. 16. “On the day of delivery, we can always use help.”
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.