Let the Christmas Giving Begin

It may seem too early to talk about Christmas for many, but not for Hearts of Gold board member Petra Schmid.

The Hearts of Gold Christmas campaign will be well under way come Nov. 1 and Schmid is working now to find any new businesses that will be willing to set up giving trees this year.

Hearts of Gold will work with around 47 families in need this year in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills to help provide them with the items they want and need this Christmas. 

Like in years past, the giving trees, which are either physical Christmas trees or something as simple as a bulletin board, will be set up at various locations throughout Algonquin and Lake in the Hills and include tags with information on the specific needs of a specific family.

For example, a tag could give the age of a child and their specific clothing size and what else they may need or want. Those who take one of the tags are asked to purchase those items and return the gifts to the specific location by Dec. 6, Schmid said. 

"It makes (giving) more personal," Schmid said. "And you don't really have to break the bank to make a difference." 

Last year, 350 of the 422 items and tags placed on the giving trees were taken and given in the form of donations.

"We thought last year, oh my gosh, the economy is really bad. What are donations going to be like?" Schmid said. "Put it turned out to be a really good year last year." 

In addition, donors can adopt a family through Hearts of Gold, allowing them to buy items for more than one child in a family. 

The giving trees will be set up between Nov. 1 and Nov. 5 in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills. Schmid is looking for more businesses interested in putting up a giving tree. Specifically, she is looking for a public business on the south side of Algonquin and a business on the west side of Lake in the Hills. 

Some of the main locations for giving trees this year will be both Algonquin Public Library locations and . 

For those interested in helping can contact: 

• Petra Schmid if interested in setting up a giving tree at a business at 1-847-732-3575 or at mailto:petra@kurtnet.com.
• Cathy Terry for those interested in adopting a family/various aged children to buy presents for this Christmas at 1-847-980-5139 or mailto:cterry2348@comcast.net.
• For other inquiries or for those interested in volunteering, call 1-847-429-5923.