Santa's Helpers

Coats for Kids at Christmas
The United Way of Okaloosa-Walton Counties in partnership with A & A Transfer & Storage, The Village of Baytowne Wharf and Bangkok Cleaners, will hold its annual Coats for Kids at Christmas Drive to help needy children in Okaloosa and Walton Counties.
Drop off used coats in good condition or new coats through Dec. 5 at these sites: Bank of America, BankTrust, Colonial Bank, Eglin Federal Credit Union, First City Bank of Florida, Premiere Community Bank, Publix Super Markets, The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Trustmark Bank, Twin Cities Hospital and Whitney Bank.
The Village of Baytowne Wharf will provide free or discounted ice skating tickets in exchange for donated coats.
Coats will be picked up and delivered to Bangkok Cleaners in Fort Walton Beach for cleaning. Participating United Way Agencies will distribute the coats to any child at no cost to the family. Call 243-0315.

Hope For the Holidays
Donations of toys, gift cards and money are needed for the 2008 Christmas drive to assist needy families in the Destin area.
Contributions are needed by Dec. 11. Drop off locations are Harvest House, 110 Marler Street; The Destin Log, 1225 Airport Road; Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort, call 428-0053; and Destin Community Center, 101 Stahlman Ave.

Adopt-A-Family
Destin-based Mission Love Seeds will once again provide Christmas dinner for families in the Philippines through its Adopt-A-Family program. A donation of $25 will give each family a complete Christmas meal, a small pre-decorated Christmas tree and a small toy for each toy.
To adopt a family, contact  Barbi Carroll at 865-1055 or 650-5583 or send check or money order to Mission Love Seeds, Inc., P.O. Box 1717, Destin FL 32540. Please write Adopt-A-Family Philippines on the check.

Trees of Hope
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Destin will work with Families Count during its Trees of Hope campaign to assist local organizations in collecting toys and necessities for children and families in need.
Visit Applebee’s and choose a tag from the Tree of Hope. Purchase the gift requested and return to Applebee’s for distribution to organization by the date on back of tag.

Be a Santa to a Senior
The area office of Home Instead Senior Care has joined 20 area assisted living facilities, nursing facilities, independent living facilities and hospices as well as two area Wal-Mart Super Centers and Belk Department Store to provide presents to seniors who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.
Christmas trees with ornaments with the first names of the seniors and their gift requests will be at Wal-Mart in Destin and Fort Walton Beach and the Belk Department Store in Santa Rosa through Dec. 14.
After purchasing items on the list, return unwrapped to the store with the ornament. Volunteers will wrap and distribute the gifts. Call 243-6464  about adopting groups of seniors.

Christmas Shoe Box Campaign
Tax Collector Chris Hughes and his staff have kicked off their annual Christmas Shoe Box Campaign to benefit Sharing and Caring Inc. and the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast.
Find an empty shoe box and wrap the lid and box separately in Christmas paper. Decide if your gift will be for a boy or a girl and the age category (2-4), (5-8), (9-12) or (13-16). Then, fill the box with a variety of gifts from school supplies to toiletries and toys. Put a rubber band around the box to hold it shut and drop it off at any Tax Collector’s Office before Dec. 16.
Fliers with instructions, suggested gift items and gender/age gift tags are available at all county Tax Offices and at www.okaloosatax.com.
The contents of all the boxes will be inspected for the protection of the children. Tax Office employees will complete the gift-wrapping with bows and ribbons. Sharing and Caring Inc., the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA will distribute the gifts throughout the community. Call 609-3055 or visit www.okaloosatax.com.

Angel Tree
The South Walton Fire District is hosting the Angel Tree for Walton County for the seventh year. Pick up angel cards from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Station 3/Headquarters, 911 North CR 393 in Santa Rosa Beach where more than 200 angels are waiting to be chosen.
All gifts need to be returned before Dec. 17. Call 267-1298 if these times are not convenient.

Luces Navideñas annual Christmas party
Luces Navideñas Incorporated is looking for volunteers and/or donors for their fourth annual Luces Navideñas needy children’s Christmas party to be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at  the Boys and Girls Club’s Teen Center in Fort Walton Beach.  This Latin-flavored party provides free gifts, toys, clothes, food and entertainment for all children who attend.
The organization is also looking for Hispanic food establishments wishing to donate all or part of the food that will be served to those that attend.
For more information, visit www.qplatino.com or contact David Triana at (850) 368-3505.

Charity Gift Wrap
Silver Sands Factory Outlet Stores Charity Gift Wrap takes place through Dec. 24 next to Cole-Haan and Brooks Brothers with all proceeds benefiting Sinfonia Gulf Coast. Hours are 12 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Toys for the Kids drive
Through Dec. 24, bring a new toy to donate to the Bass Pro Shops Toys for the Kids drive. Toys will be collected in the grand entrance of the store and distributed to the “We Believe” program through the Sacred Heart Hospital of Sandestin for children who receive medical care in the emergency room.
Also, show your support and appreciation to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by making a donation at all Bass Pro Shops store registers to the USO’s Operation Care Package. You can then sign a personal greeting to be sent to the troops to show them how much you care. Monies collected are used to purchase items such as calling cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, sunscreen and more. You can also donate to AMVETS and support their efforts to make a difference in the lives of all American Veterans and their families.

Santa PAWS Tree
The annual Santa PAWS tree featuring the photo of a needy animal from PAWS is expanding to include the “Guardian Angel Fund” with monies going toward providing medical care for special needs animals. This fund will be used throughout the year.
Stop by the Junkyard Dog Gift ‘n Thrift at 179 NE Eglin Pkwy in Fort Walton Beach or 3 Dogs and a Chick at 128 Miracle Strip Parkway SE to see the Santa PAWS Tree. The trees will be on display through Dec. 31.