Packages aim to spread cheer to Trout Creek

TROUT CREEK – Members of the Trout Creek Seventh-day Adventist Church came together right before the holidays to ensure those less fortunate also got a surprise on Christmas.

Filled with Christmas spirit, kids busied themselves with separating the different contents for the packages. In all, the group provided nine packages to those who could use it.

Alesha Evans helped put together the boxes and she explained the presents went to both church members and community members.

As the group of helpful kids dwindled down to just Evans and Brianna Reichert, the girls put together bags of cookies – separating the baked goods evenly. They worked in assembly-line fashion and quickly packaged the rest of the goods, spreading them throughout the boxes.

While they stuffed each bag full, Evans explained members of the church came together to make sure each box was filled to the brim with goodies.

The packages were stuffed with a variety of items and included oranges, candles, sparkling cider, snack mix and freshly baked cookies.

“The church members brought in all the stuff and the students decorated the boxes,” explained Evans. The church’s school of six students each decorated two boxes, although only nine of them were filled.

Church member and organizer of the project, Karen Evans, said the church typically comes together to put together packages on either Thanksgiving or Christmas, depending on when everyone’s schedules matched up.

This year organization was rather simple and Karen relied on email to get the word out.

“What we did is I emailed a bunch of people from the church and other people who work for the church that I knew would be here today and I asked if they wanted to bake cookies or bring candles,” said Karen.

She asked people to bring whatever they could to add to the gift boxes.

“We wanted to have a conglomeration of all of our efforts,” said Karen.

The names came from a handful of sources and anyone who knew of someone who could use a box brought forth a person. People who received the boxes were from all walks of life. Some were retired, while others were taking care of someone in their family who had fallen ill.

“We just wanted to do it for the people who get a little lonely and don’t get out for the holidays as much. Or maybe they don’t have a lot of family around,” said Karen.

The boxes were delivered a few days before Christmas, ensuring the packages were in the right hands before the holiday hit.

“We’ll add a little more to the boxes and several of us will go deliver them in the next couple of days,” said Karen.

She planned to add some apples to the mix of goods before calling the job done.

In all, Karen said around eight people came together and donated to the boxes, not including the kids who packed and decorated the boxes.

With all of their combined efforts, the group was able to spread a little more Christmas joy to those who may otherwise not receive something. Their efforts helped ensure that a handful of more people would experience a bit more happiness during the holidays.