Clearwater Christmas Project is on again
Last year, Christmas was made a little merrier for over 460 children and 200 families in Clearwater County. The annual Clearwater Christmas Project will be held again this year.
Three groups; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Clear Waters Life Center in Clearbrook and Tuesday Study Club, Bagley have been involved in the project. Tracy Imle of Gonvick has been the liaison between the three groups. Tracy has worked with the project since 2008. The Clearwater Christmas Project provides families with toys for their children and provides help with their Christmas dinner. Many volunteers and community businesses help to collect and distribute to Clearwater County families. Not only are families with children being helped, but those who don’t have family or children living with them, may also receive a voucher for Christmas dinner.
The Clearwater Christmas Project was started over 40 years ago within the Clearwater County Department of Human Services. The program became too big and was too much for DNS to handle alone. Since 2012, the project has been led by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, the Clear Waters Life Center, and Tuesday Study Club. Unfortunately, in 2011, Toys for Tots quit supporting our county and the Christmas Project has been solely responsible for collecting all of the toys given to our children.
The Clearwater Christmas Project wants to help as many in the county as possible, but they need your help. They are asking for donations of a new, unwrapped toy for the children in the county. Toys can be donated at: North County Hardware in Clearbrook, Y-92 Convenience in Clearbrook, Bakken’s Market in Clearbrook, Northern Bait and Convenience in Gonvick and in Bagley Kubiaks Grocery and Galens Grocery. Toys are collected through December and those not used are saved for the next year. The Christmas Project also accepts monetary donations that are used to purchase new toys to the Clearwater Christmas Project at PO Box 133, Gonvick, MN 56644.
The Clearbrook-Gonvick High School iMPACT group, led by Kathy Kjolhaug, has been an important part of the project by collecting many toys.
Families can come to The Clearwater Christmas Project to "shop" for toys for the children and receive a voucher to help with Christmas dinner on Wednesday, December 2 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 3 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Bagley Legion Auditorium on Main Street. Don’t forget to bring proof of Clearwater County Residency. You must be present to pick up toys and grocery vouchers.
The Christmas dinner vouchers can be used at Bakken’s Market in Clearbrook and Kubiaks Grocery and Galens Grocery, both in Bagley. The voucher will be valid on Monday and Tuesday, December 21 and 22 and can be used for meat and produce only. When checking out a five pound bag of Peatland Red potatoes and rice from Gourmet House and Riviana Foods will be given with each voucher.
The mission statement of the Clearwater Christmas Project...The Clearwater Christmas Project is a non-profit organization committed to bringing Christmas to those in need in Clearwater County. Through the efforts of volunteers and donations from local residents and businesses, the Clearwater Christmas Project provides a memorable holiday experience to children in need and their families, thus ensuring the true spirit of Christmas remains alive and well for everyone involved.