Discovering the Joy of Giving

1st Graders from Holy Trinity School in Laconia deliver toys from their school-wide toy drive to Erin Pettengill, Director of the LRCS Family Resource Center. The toys are for the Family Fun Night ‘Penny Sale’ event hosted by LRCS where area children shop for gifts for their family members.

Lakes Region Community Services is fortunate to experience generosity and support throughout the year from businesses, civic groups and local residents. But during the season of giving, our community really steps up to help those we support to celebrate the holidays.

After Thanksgiving, a Giving Tree is displayed at the LRCS Main Office in Downtown Laconia. Gift tags cover the tree – each one represents a child’s wish list. Today that tree has been stripped of its 225 gift tags and just left with ornaments, but it’s still the most beautiful Christmas tree you will ever see! Just last week, representatives from AFL Noyes of Belmont and the Laconia Rotary Club visited the office and committed to purchasing gifts for all the children whose tags were still hanging on our tree.

And students from Holy Trinity School in Laconia got in the holiday spirit by conducting a school-wide toy drive to benefit the Family Resource Center’s annual Family Fun Night on Monday, Dec. 11. Offices in the FRC are packed full with items donated for the popular Penny Gift Sale held during Family Fun Night – a special night for children to shop for presents with help from Elves. Family Fun Night also features gift wrapping, crafts and cookie decorating, music, visits with Santa and a wonderful family meal – all thanks to the work of our dedicated staff and a small army of volunteers and a very generous community!

Comments, questions, and ideas for future blog posts can be sent to: Joanne Piper Lang, LRCS Director of Development and PR at joanne.lang@lrcs.org