Organizers are ready Friday to begin taking names for this year’s Community Christmas Card.
The special section printed Christmas Day in the Log Cabin Democrat contains the names of hundreds of community members who have donated to the newspaper’s fundraiser for Faulkner County students.
Each name listed on the “card” represents a donation of $1 or more that will go into a pool of money to be divided among area counselors.
Counselors and school officials use the funds to provide for students year-round who are in need.
Typical items purchased during the school year with the Christmas money are glasses, shoes, jackets and school supplies.
Counselors have reported using their portion of the fund to pay for a student’s visit to a dentist or to pay a family’s electricity bill.
“From help with dental work to a catastrophic event, this fund helps children during those moments as school counselors identify an emergency need,” said Alan English, Log Cabin Democrat publisher.
There are no restrictions on the fund, except that it should be used to benefit students in need.
One hundred percent of the money donated is put toward the fund for students.
“The Community Christmas Card is a beacon of hope this community lights for our young people in their times of need,” English said.
Future editions of the Log Cabin Democrat will feature local educators’ accounts of what the fund has done for young people.
Names and donations will be taken at the Log Cabin Democrat’s new office at 1111 Main St., Suite 102 in Federal Plaza in Conway.
Business hours are from 8 a.m until 5 p.m. week days.
To donate by mail, send names and donations to Community Christmas Card, P.O. Box 969, Conway, Ark. 72033.
(Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by email at courtney.spradlin@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)