MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Spirit of the Season’s wish tree bells are forlorn, and the group is asking for help.

Spirit of the Season, a program of Catholic Charities, collects donations of toys and money to help give families in need a happy holiday.

Wish trees feature bells that represent the hopes and dreams of children from the area. Community members can take the bells and purchase the requested gifts for the children, who range in age from newborns to eighth graders.

All families that have approached SOS have great need of our help and support, according to the group, which has reviewed monthly income, checked that potential recipients live in the area, and verified ages and school grades of children.

But with the Dec. 8 deadline looming, many bells are still hanging on trees, the group reported Thursday.

Wish trees are located at Middletown Flower and Gifts, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Tri-Counties Bank and WestAmerica Bank in Middletown, as well as in Hidden Valley Lake at HVL Realty and Mulligan’s Bar. On Cobb, wish trees are located at Mountain High Coffee and Haute Spot Beauty Shop.

You can visit one of these sites, take a bell and shop to make a child’s wish come true. Please be sure to sign in when you take a bell and bring back to the site from which you took the bell originally by Dec. 8.

To date some 140 families have asked for assistance, but some of these represent only a desire for a food basket, the donations for which are inching up too slowly, the group reported.

So far, only $4,000 has been received. Hedy Montoya, Spirit of the Season coordinator, said it takes about $10,500 to provide food for 450 to 500 individuals.

The Christmas box dinners will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at St. Joseph’s Church in Middletown and also from the Little Red School House on Cobb

Anyone needing a box of food needs to register immediately by calling Montoya at 707-987-8139. There will be no boxes given to anyone who has not pre-registered for Spirit of the Season. The Wish Tree portion of the program is now closed to new sign-ups.

Anyone wishing to donate is asked to send a tax-deductible donation to Spirit of the Season, P. O. Box 1468, Middletown, CA 95461.

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