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Date: 10/26/2023
WARE — The 20th annual Ware Christmas for Kids sign-up will take place on Thursday, Nov. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m., the Ware Police Department recently announced.
This year, the sign-up will be located at the Ware Fire Department and be walk-up. To qualify for the event, the announcement stated that sign-up attendees must bring all required documents to prove they are a low-income Ware resident with at least one child. The event specifically supports children 12 and younger.
According to the Police Department’s Facebook announcement, these documents include each child’s birth certificate and mass health card, as well as the guardian’s picture ID, head of household information and proof of financial need.
Upon arriving to the sign-up, the documents will be checked. Guardians will then have to fill out paperwork before they are provided a flyer on the details of the actual event, Police Chief Shawn Crevier said.
Each person who signs up will be given an allotted amount of money to spend on gifts for their children at the local Walmart, Crevier explained, stating that the amount is usually around $50.
Every year, the Ware Christmas for Kids program supports around 100-150 children, Crevier said, emphasizing how residents’ donations fuel the program’s acts of kindness.
The program first began after the organization formed to provide more support to Ware’s low-income residents, Crevier explained. While it does receive some monetary assistance from local businesses, the event is predominantly funded by resident donations. Yet, its biggest support is the volunteers who come together each year to help guardians give their children gifts for their observed holiday.
“The care and compassion people have is incredible,” Crevier said. “We appreciate all the volunteer work and we couldn’t do it without them.”
For more information on the event, please contact Program Coordinator Darlene Gildert at 413-967-3571, ext. 327. Donations can be sent to the Ware Police Department, located on 22 North St.