While Thanksgiving may still be two weeks away, many of us are already making plans to spend time with family and friends to give thanks for the good fortune weve experienced over the past year.
But there are some in our communities whose fortunes have not been as good and who may have little to look forward to in the upcoming holiday season. Fortunately, we live in caring, compassionate and giving communities which are already working to make the holiday season a happy and joyous time for all those who call our communities home.
In Marysville, residents have seen the familiar red barrels of Operation Marysville Community Christmas appearing at locations throughout the town. Serving Marysvilles families in need for 23 years, OMCC collects food for the Marysville Community Food Bank and toys to be distributed to families who might not otherwise have gifts to give their children. Last year nearly 1,150 children, from 500 families, received holiday gifts thanks to the efforts of the OMCC volunteers and the generosity of local residents and businesses. The toys are distributed during a three-day event which will run Dec. 21-23 this year.
But to be truly successful, OMCC not only needs donations of food, toys and money, it needs volunteers. Volunteers are needed to help collect donations, to sort food and create holiday boxes, to set up the toy store distribution center and to distribute toys and to clean up. People wanting more information about Operation Marysville Community Christmas or who would like to volunteer should call the Marysville Community Food Bank at 360-658-1054.
Another way of helping local families in need is as easy as going to the store local Haggen Food and Pharmacy stores are offering several ways for people to get into the holiday spirit.
All Haggen stores are currently collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots charity program which was able to assist an estimated 7.2 million families last year. That collection will run through Dec. 22 and Marines will be on hand Nov. 11 and 18 to personally collect donations.
In addition, at the Arlington Haggen Food and Pharmacy, Veterans Day, Nov. 11, will mark the beginning of the Seven Saturdays Before Christmas during which time store employees will also be conducting a separate collection drive of new toys, new clothing and food items which will be donated to the Arlington Food Bank in time for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Arlington store will also sponsor a local family in need, with a Christmas tree in the store with tags for each member of the family.
Another event at the local Haggen stores not only helps local families, it helps spread holiday cheer by allowing local groups to share their musical talents while supporting local food banks and the Salvation Army.
The annual Sing from the Heart event will be conducted Dec. 8-10 at all Haggen stores. The stores will make a donation of $50 for each hour a group shares holiday music. Participating organizations may designate a local food bank or the Salvation Army as the beneficiary of the donation.
Sing from the Heart will be presented at each store from 2-7 p.m., Dec. 8; noon 7 p.m. Dec. 9 and noon 5 p.m. Dec. 10.
These are just a few of the events in the coming weeks and months to help families in need in our communities. We will be detailing many other ways you can get involved in the coming weeks in The Marysville Globe and The Arlington Times.
Get into the holiday spirit early this year and get involved in one of the many programs and events which help our communities families in need its easy and rewarding.

To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board Kris Passey, Scott Frank or Margi Hartnett e-mail forum@premier1.net.