EDITORIAL: A MOST WONDERFUL TIME TO GIVE

Every year since 2016, The Courier has been collecting toys for distribution through the Bethany Food Patry in December. That effort is officially underway again and the public is encouraged to help spread a little holiday cheer.

Sixty years ago, singer Andy Williams called it “the most wonderful time of the year,” and while that claim can be debated, there’s little dispute that the Christmas season carries with it a certain spirited quality unmatched by other annual observances.

And while it’s true that it may be too early to start the yearly cadence of ho-ho-ho — after all, Thanksgiving is still two weeks away — it’s important to note that The Courier’s annual drive seeking donations of Christmas presents for children has officially begun.

For the eighth year in a row, we are asking the public to spread a bit of holiday cheer by contributing to our Toybox Toy Drive for the Bethany Food Pantry. Courier readers are being kindly asked to drop off an item or two of new, unwrapped gifts that a child might enjoy. Toys, games, puzzles, clothes — anything of the like — are all being accepted at our downtown office now through Wednesday, Nov. 29. All will be taken to the local food bank the following day for distribution during the Bethany Food Pantry’s regular hours on Friday, Dec. 2 and Friday, Dec. 16.

It’s a thrill to be able to say that, in each of the last seven years, the community has come through big-time with its collective contributions toward this heartening effort. Individuals have donated single items; families have made it a team effort; and packages have been delivered by generous givers whom we will never know. The net result has been thousands of gifts opened by children who might otherwise not have much — if anything — to open at Christmastime.

In a world that is increasingly divisive and tough to figure out, this toy drive is one small way every single one of us can make a difference in somebody’s life. Who knows what kind of impact the gift of a Barbie doll, slingshot, 500-piece puzzle, deck of cards, Lego set, or a game of Yahtzee can have on a child’s life, but I’m certain that it’s better than the alternative.

So, this month, be Santa.

It is, if nothing else, a great opportunity to make the upcoming Christmas season “the most wonderful time of the year” for a family who really needs it.

Jeremy Waltner | Editor & Publisher