FARMINGTON — University of Maine at Farmington students, faculty and staff are looking to brighten the holiday season for children and families in the greater Farmington area. Multiple charitable giving opportunities are being sponsored by UMF and area non-profit organizations to help members of the community have a warmer and happier holiday.

In its 18th year, the University Store is sponsoring its “Giving Tree” holiday tradition in partnership with the Farmington Elks Lodge and Operation Santa Claus. Members of the campus and local community are invited to stop by the store at 238 Main St., Farmington, and take a tag from the holiday tree to fulfill a special request or drop off a new, unwrapped gift of clothes, shoes, winter wear, toys, books, etc., from infant to adult sizes. Items can be dropped off at the campus store by December 15 when they will be picked up and wrapped by Operation Santa Claus volunteers to tuck under someone’s Christmas tree.

“UMF student workers and staff from both the University Store and the Conferences and Events office work hand-in-hand every year to make sure our Giving Tree tradition continues to help community members have a happy holiday. It’s so rewarding for us all to get together in this effort and be inspired to think of others. What better way to celebrate the holiday season,” said Ernestine Hutchinson, UMF director of Auxiliary Business and Hospitality Services.

The annual Pajama Drive sponsored by the Farmington Rotary Club and the Franklin Country Children’s Task Force is also in full swing. It is collecting new, unwrapped pjs sized newborn to 16-18 teen to keep everyone warm in the coming winter months. They can be dropped off from now until Dec. 13 at Kirsten Swan, director of student leadership and service’s office in the UMF Fusion Center, or at the UMF Admissions Office at 246 Main St, Farmington. The Task Force then distributes the pajamas to families in Franklin County.

Also, the UMF Rotaract Club and UMF Student Senate will decorate two trees for the Festival of Trees on Chester Greenwood Day, Dec. 2. Both clubs collect items for a themed tree. Student Senate is doing a Teddy Bears tree and Rotaract’s theme is Family Movie Night. Trees are then auctioned off at the live auction run by Farmington Rotary and trees are donated to local families in need.

Again, this year, the UMF Student Athlete Advisory Committee has been busy collecting food and toys at athletic events to distribute to the community. Non-perishable food items and toys collected will be distributed to the community through the University Store’s partnership with Operation Santa Claus.

For more information contact Ernestine Hutchinson, UMF director of Auxiliary Business and Hospitality Services at eleight@maine.edu.

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