By Mike Wilcox
Publisher
We know that the holidays, “the most wonderful time of the year,” can actually be a bummer for some.
We know that lack of essential food and clothing, not being able to buy meaningful Christmas gifts for your children, and even struggling to afford a Christmas tree, are burdens faced by many area families.
And we know that this year has been particularly rough, with its rampant inflation and high price of living essentials.
Luckily though, it’s time again for Wilcox Newspapers’s Annual Christmas Wish Program!
For new readers, or those unfamiliar, our Christmas Wish program has been helping local families afford their Christmastime needs for over 15 years!
If you or your family are in a dire situation – write us!
Tell us what you or your family would like to make Christmas a happy occasion. Tell us why you are experiencing a hardship. Tell us how many children are affected. Please be specific and detailed.
Afterwards, preferably email it to us at wilcoxnewspapers@gmail.com, or if you don’t have access to email, mail it to us at PO Box 189, Allegan, MI 49010.
Then, with the help of other local businesses, we’ll provide money and donations to see that your Christmas wish is fulfilled.
We also welcome financial donations to the program, from those who can afford to do so. Several individuals consistently donate $100 or $1,000 each year, and one generous individual even sends us $2,000 each year.
One time, I was vacuuming our new offices when I came upon an envelope lying on the floor. I opened the envelope to find ten $100 bills. An anonymous person had simply thrown the money into our office, without anyone having seen him or her.
For a closet Scrooge, like myself, I can’t believe the generosity of the businesspeople and more well-to-do residents of our area. The adage “we take care of our own,” certainly applies.
Over the past 15 years, the Christmas Wish Program has helped literally hundreds of families. Last year alone, we gathered over $20,000 in cash and gifts, to help over 70 families.
This year, we’d love to continue the tradition and beat that record. We’ve set a lofty goal of helping at least 100 local families this Christmas.
Thus, if you legitimately need help, and I stress LEGITIMATELY, write us a letter, and don’t wait until the last minute! The deadline to receive letters is December 6th, so don’t procrastinate.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Please DO NOT write us if you are outside our circulation area. We’d love to help everyone, but unfortunately only have the resources to help those in the counties we serve.
