Sutton comes through for kids

I am Rebecca Hobbs, president of Sutton Activities Coordination Board (SAC) and manager of Sutton General Store. I wanted to clarify and expand on the letter published Dec. 21 headlined “Kudos to Sutton Santa.”

I am coordinator of the Sutton Care Tree for SAC. This is our fourth year and we gather, wrap and deliver about 300 gifts to Sutton children each year.

The SAC has six board members and we each have special pet projects we coordinate. Kim Henderson spearheaded an awesome Christmas party where local children visited Santa. Bobbie Mason coordinates and does most of the cooking for the Thanksgiving and Christmas community dinners. Jennifer Frank is responsible for the board’s work on the annual Coal Miners Ball. Teresa Noble and Teri Fasler are new on our board, but have helped already in making activities happen. We work together to give the children the National Anthem Day program, an Easter egg hunt, community potlucks, a Halloween dance and other activities.

It takes so many helpers to make these activities happen. Another way the Sutton General Store helps is by having the Care Tree where people get names of children for whom they buy gifts. Sutton Library and Sutton Elementary School also have trees. People bring donations to the General Store. Many other businesses donate gifts or money for gifts, including Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, Three Bears, Fred Meyer, Fireside Books and others. Many local people bring gifts to put under the Care Tree — some are wrapped, some we wrap.

And a very important player is Zee Heiden, who dons the proper apparel to visit with the children at the Christmas party and deliver gifts to their homes for Christmas.

Coordinating the Care Tree is the highlight of my Christmas season and the joy it brings local children is enough thanks for me. It is important for me that all those who help make the Care Tree possible know their participation is greatly appreciated too.

Rebecca Hobbs

Sutton