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Kids bring light for other kids at Christmas
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Volunteers from TLC Twisters 4-H Club and TLC Discoveries gather around one of the Light Up a Childs Life Christmas trees as they prepare for the 19th annual local giving program. Information on the program is available from Farmers Bank & Trust.


It’s perennial — the concern that is expressed about how kids and teens are just out for what they can get at Christmas. Wish lists that run into the thousands of dollars are discussed and lamented, but not every young person out there is concerned only with what they can get at this season of the year.
In fact, a group of young people are leading a traditional effort to make sure that other, less fortunate local children enjoy gifts at Christmas, and they are inviting others — adults, too — to get involved.
It’s time for the annual Light Up a Child’s Life Christmas program, facilitated through Farmers Bank & Trust, and there’s plenty of need again this year, according to Karesa Harrison, who oversees the program for Farmers.
Leading the effort are the participants of the TLC Twisters 4-H Club and participants of TLC Discoveries after school program.
According to Phyllis Brack, about 45 young people from the two organizations are either donating funds or buying gifts for the children who are enrolled in Light Up a Child’s Life this year.
In the effort, she added, the kids learn a lot about budgeting, get involved in helping in their home community, and, frankly, get a better idea of what their moms and dads are facing in Christmas shopping. “They think about it,” she commented.
This is the 19th year for the community event, according to Harrison.
“So many kids in our community will receive clothes, toys and necessities for Christmas because of the generosity of the community. Getting these gifts to use in the New Year is a wish come true for these underprivileged children,” she said.
Harrison added the gift program has “built momentum throughout the 19 years of existence and has become a tradition for many groups and individuals to give back to our community.”
Again this year, there will be “giving trees” at both of the Farmers Bank & Trust locations, downtown and at 10th and Harrison, with information on them about the various children enrolled in the program this year.
Participants can either donate funds, so the bank staff can shop for the children, or they can choose a child from the tree and purchase items themselves.
Harrison added the volunteers are encouraged to have donations to the bank this week, so they can be processed for the holiday.
For more information, call Farmers, 792-2411, or stop by either location.