GIFTS are mounting up at HICCI’s Christmas Giving Tree and Rose Owen and her team at Healesville Community Link couldn’t be more delighted.
“We can hardly wait for hamper time,” said Ms Owen who along with her Yarra Ranges Council colleagues Ann Eames and Jenny Smith put their hands up to be the central collection point for the annual HICCI Christmas collection of gifts and food.
As the local community welfare provider, HICCI (Healesville Interchurch Community Care Inc.) distributes more than 200 Christmas hampers to families and single people in Healesville and Yarra Glen each year.
They also set up a ‘toy shop’, to make sure no children miss out on Christmas morning.
“People get to come in and choose from all the toys and gifts donated by the community and collect a Christmas hamper,” said HICCI executive officer Kerri Goding.
“We get a wonderful response every year to our appeal, I believe because people know that the gift they put under the tree goes back into their local community,” she said.
Ms Owen said the Community Link team felt very much part of the local community and loved being a part of community activities.
“We get a lot of people coming in for the library and as members of the different community groups who use the building as well coming to see us and there is a really great atmosphere in the building.
“Having something like this here just adds to the atmosphere and to the spirit of Christmas for everyone,” Ms Owen said.
New toys and gifts are needed for boys and girls of all ages, from babies to teenagers.
Ms Goding said older children were hardest to cater for and suggested gift cards, sporting items, vouchers for music and video stores, books and movie tickets as suitable items.
Unwrapped gifts and food items can be left at Healesville Community Link, the HICCI office next to the Memorial Hall in Healesville and at Healesville Community Bank (Bendigo Bank) in the main street of Healesville.
Cash donations are also very welcome.
Ideally, donations are requested by 7 December, but Ms Goding said gifts or food received any time before Christmas would help add to the enjoyment of Christmas for many people in the community.
Phone HICCI on 5965 3529 for further information.
