Steve Harmic
Nov 13, 2023
Giving Tree participants kicked off the 2023 season at Family Dollar in Clearfield. Pictured, left to right, are Christina Shaffer, owner of New Image Tattoo Studio; Julie Curry, assistant chief, Clearfield Regional Police; and Bernice James, manager of Family Dollar.
CLEARFIELD, Pa. - The Clearfield Regional Police Department and Mature Resources Area Agency on Aging, Inc. (MRAAA) first partnered in 2016 to create “Giving Trees” for area elderly and are again teaming up to spread some holiday cheer this season. Elderly citizens in the Clearfield area, many of them living alone with no close family members or no family at all, and grandchildren living with grandparents that are receiving services from the agency, could benefit greatly from a small act of kindness.
Each year, individuals and organizations come together to provide truckloads of gifts and financial assistance for heating and medical needs. Funding is collected and sent directly to local fuel and utility suppliers to ensure area seniors remain warm in their own homes during winter.
The Police Department and the Area Agency on Aging are partnering with local businesses and organizations to host the trees. The employees of CNB Bank, PennDOT, Mid Penn Bank, and Anytime Fitness will also have their own trees and collect internally.
Tags have been distributed to all locations, and will be available on trees through December 8, at Family Dollar in Clearfield, Shaw Public Library, New Image Tattoo, and Spanky’s Courthouse Café, in Clearfield, as well as South Side Subs of Curwensville, and Leyo’s Supermarket of Coalport. The giving tree will meet the needs of many senior citizens and grandchildren of grandparents raising them around the area. Individuals are welcome to take a card, purchase and wrap the needed items on the card, and drop off the items and the card at either the Clearfield Regional Police Station on Clearfield-Curwensville Highway, MRAAA Offices located at 116 South 2nd Street, Clearfield, or 600 Cooper Rd., Curwensville, or one of the above-mentioned businesses hosting a tree. Everyone is encouraged to participate and help someone in need this holiday season.
Again, this year a “Giving Tree Fund” at Mid Penn Bank, will be available. Anyone wishing to donate to assist the elderly with fuel/utility costs (heating assistance, water bills, etc.) this holiday season can drop off a check made out to “Giving Tree Fund” at the Mid Penn Bank office in Clearfield. Receipts will be available for tax purposes. The money collected will then be evenly distributed among those elderly needing this service, free of any administrative charges.