12/15/2025
December 12, 2025
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS BASKET UPDATE
Dear ForestHill Community,
We have decided to take a hiatus this year from Christmas Baskets. There were several relevant concerns, the primary one being financial, along with personal availability with key persons to this program. This was not an easy or quick decision.
Our main sponsors, Canyon View Church & Sons of the American Legion, have faithfully and graciously each given $1000 to the annual Community Christmas Baskets for years. There are many others who have supported the program faithfully year after year. But, for the past 5 years the community givers have become less & less. I believe it's due in part to the similar efforts popping up in the community which serves either to spread the giving farther or offer opportunities for potential duplication, and for Christmas Baskets it seems to have diminished donations. Last year the program was able to buy the Worton's Gift Cards due to a reserve dollar amount that has been held in the event we should experience just what we did last year.
I have always been big on stats and last year approx. 80% of our participants noted receiving from other programs, even some in Auburn. We do understand when families feel desperation during holidays, but our gift side of the program served more than 50% to grandchildren not living in the household.
This year I've seen more programs and/or community members posting in the Foresthill pages for sign-ups as well as solicitations for dollar support. Putting all this information together, it seems a good time for a hiatus to watch how things work out for the community; reconsider the possibilities moving forward; take a hard look at if the need is still there for the annual Community Christmas Baskets; lastly to take a big breath and listen for Christ's direction. This would have been the 44th year from the very first Christmas Baskets when the Memorial Hall hosted the gathering of goods & gifts with the ForestHill Fire Dept making home deliveries in a firetruck. It's been an amazing project with an amazing community of really great neighbors helping neighbors.
Thank you, Merry Christmas & God Bless you all!
Vicki / Head Elf
& all our faithful volunteer Elves,
so many over 44 years.
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