Giving Trees return to Gig Harbor stores, with a few coronavirus twists to the tinsel
The Giving Tree is back, with a couple of coronavirus twists among the tinsel.
The annual Lions’ Club holiday giving program, now in its ninth year, will have 41 store locations where holiday shoppers can pluck gift cards from a Christmas tree and bring back a toy or an item of clothing for a child in need.
Because of the renewed coronavirus shutdown, the Galaxy Theatre, which has been one of the biggest sources of gifts in the past, isn’t participating. But the Gig Harbor Lions have added some more sites to make up the difference.
Among them are Eye Candy Optical, BBQ2U, Lunchbox Laboratory, Java & Clay Cafe, Mount Rainier Clinic and El Sombrero Restaurant in Lakebay.
Over 1000 gift tags have been distributed to participating locations in downtown Gig Harbor, the Finhold District and Uptown, said Ruth Peterson, chairperson of the event.
The tags are marked with suggestions for gender and age ranges; for example: “Toy for boy 8-10,” or “clothing for girl 2-14.” Shoppers can close their eyes and pluck, or browse among the hanging tags to find one that suits them. Gift items can be placed under any of the trees.
Each tag represents an item on the “wish list” of a participating charity.
The Boys and Girls Club is looking for toys and games for kids in kindergarten to 5th grade. The club has 20 children enrolled in a program at Evergreen Elementary School on the Key Peninsula, many of whom don’t have internet access at home, so they can do their school work there with help from B&G Club staff.
The Children’s Home Society of Washington on the Key Peninsula needs gifts or clothes for about 250 children, and their pandemic twist is to ask contributors to buy gifts on Amazon and ship directly to their office in Vaughn, whose address is on the back of the appropriate tags. That’s so the staff will not have to deal with many drive-up deliveries.
And the Gig Harbor-Peninsula FISH Food Bank, which already has about 150 families signed up, is looking especially for pajamas, as well as toys and gifts for infants to teenagers.
A complete list of participating locations can be found on the Gig Harbor Lions Facebook page or website: gigharborlions.org
This story was originally published November 25, 2020 at 5:30 AM.