With hundreds of children’s holiday wishes still waiting to be fulfilled, the Lincoln County Family Holiday Wishes food and gift drive has extended the deadline for shoppers who are fulfilling a child’s holiday wish by purchasing an item described on a Wish Tag.
The previous deadline to return the purchased gifts to a Wish Tree location had been set for Fri., Dec. 11. The new deadline is Mon., Dec. 14 at 3 p.m.
The situation is critical for children’s gifts, as hundreds of the pink and blue wish tags are still on Wish Trees throughout Lincoln County.
Each Wish Tag describes the hopeful holiday wish of a local child. While many of the Wish Tag requests are for toys, there are many others for children’s clothing items in which there’s a desperate need.
The Holiday Wishes volunteers also encourage parents to ask their children about board games the whole family can play, and books the children can either read or have read, depending on their age.
The public is encouraged to select a tag from a Wish Tree, purchase the gift, and return it to the Wish Tree location by Mon., Dec. 14 with the tag attached.
A peel-off adhesive is on each tag so they can easily be attached to the gift.
“If everyone reading this article took just one tag, what a difference it would make for so many children,” Cynthia Simonds said. “Whether it’s a tag for a pair of mittens, a book, or a board game – it means that the children will wake up Christmas morning with something under the tree.”
The little pink and blue Wish Tags are available to the public on Wish Trees at the following locations: Renys Underground, Louis Doe’s Home Center, Damariscotta Hardware, Maine Coast Book Store, Salt Bay Café, Reunion Station, the Wiscasset Town Office, Lincoln County Courthouse, the Wiscasset Community Center and the Alna Store, among other places.
“This deadline extension is a reflection of the community need as families continue to call us requesting help,” Simonds said. “For many of those calling, this is the first time they have had to ask for help; which makes them reticent about calling until the last minute when they realize they cannot provide for their children.”
To find out about how to lend additional assistance, and for more information about Lincoln County Family Holiday Wishes, contact Simonds at 350-7799.
