By now many have taken down their holiday decorations.
The boxes have been broken down and taken to the recycling center.
And we’re staring down 2024. But not without acknowledging those who had a hand in making Christmas 2023 merry and bright on the Leelanau Peninsula.
With the support of Toys for Tots of Northern Michigan, the Leelanau holiday needs project brightened Christmas for over 150 county families and more than 460 individuals.
Donations of new toys, clothing, gift cards and time made this a remarkable event. Families were able to “shop” at the VFW Hall in Lake Leelanau and choose gifts for their children. Families received Meijer/Tom gift cards and gas cards; teens received Old Navy/Gap gift cards; children received games, arts and crafts and toys.
Dozens of volunteers stepped up to make the VFW a magical place.
This was the largest, but not the only effort to make the season bright on the peninsula.
The Friends of the Glen Lake Library marked its 25th year for its annual holiday book drive — making sure that books were among the gifts found under the Christmas tree on Dec. 25.
Needy children from all over the county benefited. In the weeks preceding Christmas, students from Glen Lake’s Rotary Interact Club had their first public service project — a coat drive — to warm the hearts and bodies of those who need it.
However, holiday cheer was spread throughout the county. In an effort to support families in need this holiday season, Northport National Honor/Junior Honor Society students collected donations to “Stuff the Bus.” The community was encouraged to donate new, unwrapped items and place donations in the bus parked at Northport Public School. In addition to new items, community members were welcome to make a monetary donation. With these donations, National Honor Society students shopped to purchase more items to Stuff the Bus. The items were delivered to the VFW for the county holiday needs program.
Similar efforts were also undertaken at St. Mary, Leland and Suttons Bay schools.
However, holiday good deeds were not limited to the locally needy.
The Leelanau Community Church in Lake Leelanau once again served as the local hub for “Operation Christmas Child” assembling gift boxes sent to children all over the world.
Lake Leelanau St. Mary National Honor Society (NHS) added the Cross Catholic Outreach Boxes of Joy project to their chapter service work. Students assembled more than 50 “Boxes of Joy” for impoverished children in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Grenada.
To all these organizations and the numerous people who worked behind the scenes to spread holiday cheer — thank you.
May the spirit of Christmas be held in our hearts throughout the new year.
