Ark Valley News - Cares for Kids making brighter holidays

Cares for Kids making brighter holidays
By Emmie Boese
Last Updated: November 30, 2017

Valley Center Cares for Kids is at it again.

The organization's annual Christmas Kids project is helping families around the community have a brighter holiday. It provides clothes, food and toys to families in need during Christmas.

Christmas Kids was started by Flora Bishop and Don and Blondie Roark more than 25 years ago.

Some of the people on the Christmas committee are Natalie Horton, Kelly McCall and Nancy Dugan. Each has been helping with Christmas Kids for several years.

“I believe I got started as a volunteer for Christmas Kids in 2002 and have helped ever since," Dugan, a board member, said. “I became a board member to Valley Center Cares for Kids in 2011."

Horton, also a board member, moved up through the ranks so she could be more involved with the project.

“I started by volunteering to wrap gifts for the families," Horton said. “Then I was on a committee, then became vice president."

Several individuals and groups in the community have been heavily involved with the organization. Some of these groups include churches, businesses and schools.

“The schools help by doing food drives," said Horton. “The high school clubs will gather items such as toiletries and books. They also donate the money from the annual Top Turkey. The Lions Club, businesses and individuals donate money. Local churches also help out by collecting gift cards."

VC Cares for Kids hopes to serve between 50 and 75 families through its Christmas Kids project this year, the organization said.

To adopt a family for the Christmas Kids project, contact Horton at 755-7060 or Natalie.Horton@usd262.net.

To donate, contact Nancy Dugan at 655-0657 or Nancy@DGWichitalaw.com.

Donations also may be dropped off or sent to Valley Center CARES for Kids at Valley Center Middle School, 800 N. Meridian.