SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Spirit of the Season Wish Trees are now in local businesses in the Middletown, Hidden Valley Lake and Cobb areas.

The holiday community outreach provides Christmas to our neighbors in need.

Should you choose to give a gift to a child this Christmas, visit one of the local businesses where wish trees are located, pick out a red bell and follow the instructions posted near the wish tree.

Gifts are requested through letters to Santa written by children from families who have applied to the program.

The letters are read and each child’s wishes (infants through eighth grade) are transferred to a bell that is then hung on a wish tree throughout the community.

All high school-aged youngsters will receive a Walmart Gift Card as listed on their bells allowing each student to select their own gift.

Wish trees in Middletown are located at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Middletown Florist and Gifts, Tri-Counties Bank and Westamerica Bank.

The wish trees in Hidden Valley can be found at Century 21 House of Realty and Hidden Valley Lake Realty. The wish trees on Cobb can be found at Mountain High Coffee and Cobb Cuts beauty salon.

If you have more questions about the wish tree program contact Sandy Tucker at 707-987-0263 for Middletown and Hidden Valley or in Cobb contact Christine Bougas at 707-928-6461.

Already, there are more than 120 families registered for Spirit of the Season this year.

For the program to provide food and gifts it requires approximately $70 per family. To date, approximately $3,000 has been generously donated.

If you can make a donation to offset the costs of the program, make your check payable to: Spirit of the Season and mail to P. O. Box 1468, Middletown, CA 95461.

Volunteers have been helping sort food donations which folks are placing into the SOS receptacles around town. You will find these at the Catholic Charities office in Middletown near the library, as well as the post office in Middletown. Nonperishable items such as juice, canned pineapple, Jello and jelly are especially needed.

Recently they received 2,000 pounds of food from AmeriCorps and the Hunger Task Force from their “Make A Difference Day” efforts, which helped with Thanksgiving food distribution.

As more food is given to our program, they will need volunteers to help pick up donations and sort food.

If you can be of assistance, please contact volunteer coordinator Christine Bougas at 707-928-6461.

For more information about the program contact Hedy Montoya at 707-987-8139.