CLEARFIELD ? Residents of the Clearfield area are already gearing up for the third annual Giving Tree.
At Thursday?s Clearfield Borough Council meeting, Sgt. Nathan Curry said the first year of the Giving Tree was outstanding, the second year was overwhelming and he?s hoping this third year will be bigger and better yet.
Curry said more groups have joined the efforts. He said ABATE has partnered with the police department, Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging and CBT Bank.
Curry said the trees will be in place in the Clearfield Pharmacy & Gift Shoppe and Clearfield CVS at 12 p.m. Nov. 20. Employees of PennDOT and CBT Bank will have their own trees.
In addition to the trees, residents can also make donations to help pay for heating fuel.
Curry said CBT Bank has an account designated for the fuel donations. Curry said those wishing to contribute can do so at CBT Bank, to be paid to the order of ?The Giving Tree Fund.?
Curry said more than $6,000 was collected last year and used to ensure the senior citizens in the program were able to keep their homes warm over the winter months.
Curry said once the trees are in place, residents can take tags, which have gift ideas and items the seniors need. The residents can then wrap the items and bring them either to the police station or the Area Agency on Aging by Dec. 8.
Curry said they prefer the items be brought in by Dec. 8, but they will continue to take the items as long as they are coming in.
Curry said donations will also be taken to assist in paying for other utilities, such as water and electric bills.
Receipts will be available for tax purposes and all funds collected will be evenly distributed among those in need, free of any administrative charges.
?We have more groups getting involved and we?ve had churches get involved, both to help fill tags and to give names of people needing assistance. We’ve already had people asking when the trees will be up. We anticipate this third year to bigger and better yet,” Curry said.
According to previously published GANT News articles, last year?s Giving Tree provided a special Christmas for about 147 senior citizens in Clearfield and the surrounding areas.
Over 400 tags were on the trees and the response had been so overwhelming that more tags were added.
The ?Giving Tree? program was started in 2015 as a collaboration amongst the police department, The Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, CVS Pharmacy and Clearfield Pharmacy.
