Christmas generosity overflows

SEELEY LAKE – With Christmas music filling the air and lights flashing on the fire trucks, the Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers and auxiliary members took to the streets of Seeley Lake the evening of Dec. 22 delivering gifts to the 19 girls and boys that were listed on their Angel Tree. Additionally, the annual Giving Tree, organized by the women of Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church, blessed 55 children. This year some of the givers were recipients when they were children.

This was the first year for the Angel Tree at the Seeley Lake Fire Hall. The Seeley Lake Volunteer Fire Foundation provided the tree as an opportunity for less privileged children in the Seeley Lake community to receive gifts.

District Administrator Lynn Richards said she had a list of people wanting to purchase gifts for children before she had angels hung on the tree. Once families started coming in and signing up angels, they went flying out the door and returned attached to beautifully wrapped packages for the children.

"We have an incredibly generous community," said Fire Chief Dave Lane who was very pleased with how the program went this year.

The annual Giving Tree, available at Cory's Valley Market, also had a successful year. Members from the community checked out tags and returned the unwrapped gifts to Cory's. The women from Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church gathered together Dec. 19 and wrapped them. The families then picked them up for their children.

Coordinator Marcy Zietz said that 16 families received about 100 gifts, slightly higher than in the past. This year, she was excited to see six community members sign out tags that received gifts as children.

"Our kids are turning out really good. They wouldn't have to do that," said Zietz. "They remembered they had tough Christmases and now they are helping other kids. This is a really positive thing for this town."