Traverse City Optimist Christmas Shopping

The Traverse City Optimist Club puts on a Christmas shopping event every year for underprivileged families. Kids from selected families are able to shop for family members on the Optimist budget. This years events benefited 50 families from the Boys and Girls Club, Child and Family Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Target hosts the event every year.

Sir Winston Churchill once said: “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Certainly, the Holiday Season is an ideal time of year to reflect on how blessed many of us are—while we also pause to remember and help those less fortunate.

Here in Traverse City many families face a Christmas morning without the hope of a single present to give or receive. For years, the Traverse City Optimist Club has helped provide Christmas presents for just such needy families with our annual Christmas Shopping Event.

Vincent from the boys and girls club gets ready to check out after shopping for family members.

Record Eagle story at http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/dec/09optimist.htm

Here’s how it works: Children are selected from various groups such as the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Child and Family Services. The children spend a morning Christmas shopping at Target with the assistance of a volunteer or Optimist Club member. While wrapping presents and enjoying juice and snacks, Santa shows up with surprise gifts for each and every child. The joy on the faces of these children reminds us all of the Season’s true meaning. It truly is a special day for kids and volunteers alike.

In an effort to grow and expand this wonderful program, the Optimist Club invites you, your company and employees to join us. The rewards are endless, here are just a few.

Sending employees to experience the gift of giving and the chance to know and help these families creates the internal office buzz, “being proud of who you work for”.

Community Support: being a part of this event is outward proof of your caring support of our community, our youth and our future.

Pay It Forward: Teaching the value of giving to children is an endless chance to pay it forward and continue to make a difference in our community, your life, and the world.

> Sponsor any number of kids, the cost is $75 per child, which is the amount each child has to purchase presents for their family members.

> Come yourself or send employees to experience the joy of giving. Seeing the excitement on the faces of children, and learning about their families is a self-reward!

> Pass on the opportunity to others, letting us know about others that may be interested, helps us grow the number of families that we touch.

Please join us at Target and share in this worthwhile effort. We promise you’ll feel a sense of personal satisfaction, community pride and just a little bit of what it’s like to be Santa!