Logan’s giving guide: Become Santa’s helper
Instead of filling out long personal wish lists this year, Logan’s local businesses have provided ways to give back to the community this holiday season.
Cache County Sub for Santa has joined with the KUTV Angel Tree program and placed trees at five different businesses throughout the valley.
The Angel Trees hold paper ornaments with children’s wishes on them. Information like their age, interests and clothing sizes are included so community members can help sponsor a child for Christmas. The program aims to provide two gifts to each child up to 18 years old.
There is an Angel Tree at Smith’s Marketplace, Saddleback Harley-Davidson and Lee’s Marketplace in Smithfield and Logan. There is also a gift card tree at the Cache Valley Mall.
Emily Malik, one of the directors of the Sub for Santa program, said her favorite moment last year was when a family came to the distribution center for a child they had sponsored.
A gift box for donated groceries at Smith’s Marketplace in Logan. Paige Johnson
“They made the connection of how many kids and families need assistance and that a lot of it was basic needs,” Malik wrote in an email. “They were really emotional about making that connection. The next day, that family came back with more items to donate just because they really just felt like they wanted to do as much as they could for those who can use help.”
Jennifer Bishop, another director for Sub for Santa, said that she was there for that experience.
“These were little kids,” Bishop said. “It was so inspiring. I think we all had tears.”
Those who want to donate can go to an Angel Tree location, pick as many papers for kids as they’d like and return to the business with the gifts by Dec. 5. All parts of the program conclude on Dec. 12.
Other options offered by the Sub for Santa program are listed on their website at cachecountysubforsanta.org.
Donors can buy from an Amazon wish list or sponsor a whole family.
These family sponsorships are meant to cost less than $150, and can help bring some holiday cheer to members of the community who may not have the means to celebrate with gifts this year.
Westside Coffee Company, owned by Diane McMorris, is also doing their part to bring Christmas cheer. There is a box at the front of the shop meant for donations to CAPSA.
“They do Christmas for any of the women and children in the shelter and also help families that have gone through the shelter and are living in the transitional housing they have,” McMorris said via text message.
The box has a QR code to send cash donations and a small flier taped to the outside with a list of the items CAPSA is looking for. Including gift cards, new clothing, beauty supplies, winter clothes, Lego kits and Barbies.
CAPSA is collecting donations until Dec. 11 at Young Toyota, Downeast and Black Bear Diner.
Logan residents can even give back while eating at Olive Garden. Manager Scott Brown said Olive Garden will have their own giving tree program up at the Logan location before the end of November to sponsor children’s Christmas gifts.
Donating to a child’s Christmas this year is an opportunity to give back and help parents who don’t have the means to check off their children’s wish lists.