The Giving Tree at Susan’s Secret Garden is decorated and ready for customers to choose a “wish” from a child in our area and provide that item. For the past 6 years Susan has worked with a social worker to find children in Sturbridge and surrounding towns who won’t have a visit from Santa without the help of the very generous people who visit Susan’s Secret Garden.
Last year the Giving Tree project collected over 400 gifts of clothing, toys and gift cards for groceries. The results were that 18 households were filled with squeals of joy on Christmas morning, 35 children didn’t wonder why Santa didn’t stop at their house, and 21 parents now see the world as a kinder place where strangers reach out and show compassion.
Since starting the Giving Tree project everyone at Susan’s Secret Garden has had a front row seat to watch miracles happen. The people who come back year after year to help are so excited to be part of the project that they begin asking in August if the children’s wishes are ready.
Susan receives letters and cards from the families asking her to thank the “angels” and “elves” that helped their children. The remainder of this post can be read by accessing the READ MORE link below.
This year the Giving Tree has 50 children counting on compassionate strangers to make the magic happen. Susan is asking that angels and elves stop by when they have a minute and read some of the wishes on the tree. Some requests are as simple as a doll, a truck or just a pair of mittens.
Gifts need to be returned to Susan’s Secret Garden by December 8th in order to have time to organize and deliver gifts to the families.
Last year, many of you were instrumental in helping to ensure that the Giving Tree had NO request left behind. You will recall that I contacted some of you when it became clear that there were children who would go without gifts, due to a slipping economy which impacted those who normally give. Your generosity was incredibly heartwarming as many of you quickly descended upon Susan’s to demonstrate the care and compassion that speaks to who you are, and who I am fortunate to emulate and call friends.
This year the economy is certainly much worse and the need is greater than previously experienced. As such, I have included others on this correspondence who were not part of last years mailing, in hopes of spreading the word earlier and more broadly.
I reach out to each of you with a simple request; if there is anything that you can do to help brighten this coming Christmas for a local child, please take a moment to visit Susan’s Secret Garden on Main Street - Sturbridge - and pull a tag.
I understand that we are all inundated with requests for help, and I loathe burdening any of you with an additional request, but I can say without hesitation that Susan does an incredible job of vetting requests to ensure we are helping those who are truly in need. Additionally, the thought of being part of an area child’s Christmas morning (at least in spirit), is a gift to each of us who give, and an incredibly rewarding act of love.
The Bee Gee’s used to ask, How deep is your love? Another might ask, How deep is our love?
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