The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

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CURTIS OSTRANDER	DUAINE HARDING
ELEANOR TODD	ELMER "BUD" HAHN
GERVASE KILEY	MARIAN SUTTON
ORLO KIRKUM	SLAVA KOKOTOVICH
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All Holiday Deadlines are One Full Workday Earlier

SHARING AND CARING. Above, from left, Sharing Tree committee members Mary Jane Johnson and Ed Risch check the Christmas "sharing tree" standing in the St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church. Each tag on the tree represents a Christmas wish given by a local needy family, collected by the Sharing Tree program. Residents can pluck the tags from one of 19 trees and fulfill their requests to help provide a happy holiday.

(Observer photo by Chris Gray)

Spread holiday cheer with
the Sharing Tree program

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      Let's try a simple experiment: If your Christmas tree is up, pick out an ornament of your choice and remove it.
       Easy, right? Well, thanks to the Sharing Tree program, it is that simple to help make Christmas a happy holiday for a local needy family.
       Sharing Tree, which began more than 30 years ago, is a program organized through the Samaritan House that provides area families in need with items like toys and clothing during the holiday season.
       Since October, the Sharing Tree committee has been sending and receiving letters to businesses and 19 participating churches as well as to families using the Samaritan House program.
       From there, the committee and volunteers sit down and interview the families to establish their addresses and phone numbers, but more importantly, to hear what their Christmas wishes are.
       These wishes are then written down on tags that are hung on Christmas trees in 19 participating churches, waiting to be plucked and fulfilled by generous residents.
       "The whole project and all of its outreach is phenomenal," said Pamela Zendt, operations manager of the Samaritan House. "In the economic stress that Michigan is under right now, we are so blessed to have such strong community assistance to support these families."
       As of the beginning of the month, the Sharing Tree committee reports that there are more than 280 families<more than 1,000 individuals<requesting assistance this year.
       This is down slightly from last year's total, but it isn't exactly good news either, said Ed Risch, a member of the committee.
       "That is pretty close to what it's been for the last two years," said Risch. "If it's anything like last year, we'll have a few more call us around Christmas."
       Between $5,000 to $6,000 is spent on the program each year, covering everything from extra gifts to paper, printing, postage and bags for gifts. Due to the letters sent out earlier this year, Risch said the program has received enough money to cover most of the program's expenses.
       "I started in 1988 with the program, and the support has always been there from the community," he said.
       Children in the program receive two tags, one for clothing and one for a toy, while the adults receive one tag.
       Once someone removes a tag from a tree and fulfills the requested wish, they are to return the gift to the church they received the tag from. The gifts are then all moved to St. John Lutheran Church to be organized. Of course, all these gifts will need to be sorted out, which is where residents can step up and help out.
       This year, volunteers are asked to meet at St. John Lutheran Church during the week from Dec. 16 through Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to help sort out who receives what.
       Clients who filled out the tags will pick up the gifts on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. Some families, however, aren't able to stop by, so volunteers can play the role of Santa Claus and deliver the gifts to them on Monday, Dec. 21. Anyone wishing to help deliver is to show up at 9 a.m. at the church.
       The program also furnishes the families with food certificates that are provided through the Romeo and Washington Goodfellows.
       "The community is taking care of people who are in trouble, who wouldn't have a good Christmas if it weren't for them," he said.
       To pick up a tag, see the attached story for a listing of the 19 participating churches.
       Monetary donations are accepted at the Samaritan House or through the mail. Checks should be made out to Samaritan House/Sharing Tree. The Samaritan House is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and can be reached at (586) 336-9956.
       For information about Sharing Tree or to volunteer, call Risch at (586) 255-3759 or Judy Pribish at (586) 752-4103.