The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Editor’s note: This article was written by a local Girl Scout leader whose troop has started a Christmas drive for families in need.

I am the Girl Scout leader of 4th and 5th grade students here in Rhinelander. My girl scouts and I decided we wanted to do a Christmas community project this year. We went out into the community to find out information on Christmas donation organizations and discovered that two of the bigger donators could not accommodate Rhinelander this year.

We were troubled after finding out that a lot of families relied on these programs to provide Christmas for their families due to the hardships they are facing economically. So my girl scouts, my co-leader, and I did some heartfelt brainstorming on how we could help. I have an enthusiastic group of girls, and being kids, they think BIG! We came up with an idea to start a new Christmas program for families in need in the Rhinelander Area so that we would not have to rely on other organizations from other counties. We are working in conjunction with the Rhinelander Are Food Pantry.

Girl Scouting is all about teaching the girls to be self lead, confident, and involved in their community. The single mom serving our fast food, to the old guy we say hello to every day walking down the street who does not have a home, we need to reach out and let them know we as a community care about them and rely on them for their services and smile each day.

Our goal is to reach 800 needy families this year. This is a big goal, but with the community’s help, it can happen. We are asking the entire Rhinelander community and businesses to get involved. Yes, children too.

It will be awesome to teach our children the “giving” side of Christmas. We have gift donation boxes at the YMCA, Trig’s Riverwalk Center mall and grocery, Holiday Gas Station, Dollar General and various churches. We also have boxes at Crescent, Pelican, and Central elementary schools as well as James William Middle School. Each location has sheets with contact and program information.

We are not only reaching out to the children of Rhinelander, but teens and the elderly which are so often forgotten. Let’s show them we didn’t forget this year! We are accepting new or like new used toys, clothes, shoes, toiletries, cleaning supplies, or any item suitable for Christmas. We are accepting gift cards for local businesses which are great for teens and elderly along with any other heartfelt gift.

We invite employers to donate. Everything can be a gift, from a free cab ride for the elderly to fast food or movie tickets, to a hotel stay! There is room for every local business owner to get involved. Be creative.

We ask that employers encourage their employees to donate and take up a collection at each business.

We can provide boxes, or you can hold gift donations in a designated area at your location and our troop will pick them up. I realize we are facing hard economical times, but if we could all pull together as a community and maybe miss that one day at a fast food restaurant or put that candy bar back on the shelf we could touch so many families and give them the Christmas they thought they would never have this year.

I believe our children are the future and we are their examples. I am trying to teach my Girl Scouts that one person can make a difference and the courage they have will take them to heights in life some have seemed to forget. I told the girls if we can help even one family this Christmas, we have achieved a goal, but they said they know we can do more. And as a community, I believe we can do more!

If you would like more information on our program or would like to donate you can reach Jaimie Kossack at 715-550-0707 or Ann McMullen at 715-490-0117. Thank you for helping my Troop reach their goal and provide Christmas for many families that lost hope. Your material gift is only the seed. Your gift of hope and support during trying times is the full flower

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