Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts this year, the beachdog crew decided to donate to the Rotary Christmas Angels, who provide gifts to disadvantaged youth in our community.  It sounds like a sweet and simple thing to do, doesn’t it?  It’s also a lot of work!  Our hats are off to the Rotary Club of SW Pacific County Peninsula for taking requests, doing all the shopping, the wrapping, the organizing and the distribution of thousands of dollars of gifts.

Angels were hung on Christmas trees in local banks, where angels of the community could adopt one and return it with a wrapped gift.  The angels not adopted were adopted by the Rotary club.

The Pacific County Fire District No 1 Cadets helped organize the wrapped gifts…as well as wrapping a few themselves!

The Long Beach Grange was filled with beautifully wrapped gifts for kids.  The Grange itself began this program and ran it until this year, one of the quiet things groups in this community selflessly do, without fanfare.  If you see a Grange member, give ‘em a hug, would you?

The Rotary club earned even more shine on their halos by donating funds to local food banks:

(L-R) Rotarian David George, Gil Baker of His Supper Table (Long Beach), Gail Moore of St Vincent DePaul Food Bank (Ilwaco), Genita Hansen of PACE (Pacific Aging Council Endeavors), Cookie Preston of the Reachout Food Bank (Ocean Park), Rotary Treasurer Bob Hamilton

Want to make a donation of your own?

• Reachout Food Bank | 1405 Bay Ave, Ocean Park, WA 98640 | (360) 665-6567
• His Supper Table | 1301 13th St, Long Beach, WA 98631 | (360) 642-4105
• St Vincent DePaul Food Bank | Open 1st & 3rd Fridays across the street from the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum on Lake Street in Ilwaco
• PACE: Pacific Aging Council Endeavors | PO Box 579 (Ilwaco Community Building), Ilwaco, WA 98624 | (360) 642-3378

Our apologies to Genita for the 2 out of 3 Great Dane greeting!