Several municipal, civic, and ministerial organizations are making a big impact on families in the Sapulpa area and beyond this holiday season.
Early Head Start
Sapulpa firefighters, police, and others delivered food and gifts to the families at the Sapulpa Early Head Start program on Friday morning. Through donations raised by several outlets, the 34 families whose children are enrolled in the income-qualified program will have their Christmas dinner, gifts, and other necessities taken care of for the holidays.
Tawni Vickers, the Marketing Coordinator for the City of Sapulpa, says the program is near to her heart and that she is “so grateful” for the outpouring of support from the community for the Early Head Start. Everyone from City Hall employees to the Ardagh Glass Plant to other local businesses helped raise or match the funds to make it possible. “I could not have done it without every single one of those people,” she said.
Sapulpa Ministerial Alliance
Sapulpa Ministerial Alliance delivered turkeys to the Creek County Detention Center on Wednesday, December 15th. Larry Carnes, secretary for the Alliance, says the annual tradition has been going on since at least 2008 with the idea that everyone should get a nice Christmas dinner—even inmates. “We wanted to make sure they had a nice, real turkey. Even if the mashed potatoes are powdered mix or whatever, we want them to have a real turkey,” he said. The turkey haul was big enough to ensure that each of the employees got to take a bird home to their families, and the remainder would be feeding the inmates on Christmas Day.
Blue Star Mothers
Blue Star Mothers packaged over 100 Christmas Care Packages for troops deployed overseas, which included everything from small toiletries to canned goods and more. USPS loaded up those boxes and sent them on their way, in hopes they will reach the troops in time for Christmas. Blue Star Mothers also created Christmas food boxes to be delivered to Veterans just in time for Christmas.
CTX Coffee (114 E. Dewey) has offered up their tree in the coffee shop to be used as a “giving tree” to help assist ministries with offering aid to the homeless as the weather turns cold for the winter. Anyone wishing to help with that can visit the store and take a tag, fulfill the need, and return those items to CTX. Items include things like hats, socks, and blankets, and other basic necessities. Owner Briana Birdwell says that CTX will have their giving tree up at least through Christmas and possibly after. “These needs are still going to be there after Christmas is over,” she said. “We want to give people the chance to help as much as they’re able.”
