Holiday season provides charitable giving opportunities

With the holiday season here, several charitable organizations and programs throughout the North Woods present opportunities for individuals and groups to give back and help others. 

Local service groups in and around the Vilas County area continue to operate and offer their support to the less fortunate during the winter months. 

Residents interested in contributing to charitable service groups have several opportunities to do so through programs sponsored by local businesses, banks, churches, and area schools throughout the community. 

Warm The Children 

The annual Warm The Children program is underway and is operated through the Vilas County News-Review. 

This program helps to purchase new winter clothing and boots for qualifying area children. 

The program helps to provide warmth to over 500 children each year and would not be possible without the generosity of time and money from area residents, organizations and businesses. 

Glik’s in Eagle River and Northland Clothing Co. in Three Lakes support Warm The Children by offering special discounts on all regularly priced clothing for children in the program. 

Using the coupon in the newspaper, donations may be sent to the News-Review at P.O. Box 1929, Eagle River, WI 54521, or taken to the newspaper office at 425 W. Mill St. in Eagle River. 

Checks should be made out to “Warm The Children.” 

Donations can be made online at vcnewsreview.com on the homepage. 

Food pantry help 

Local grocery stores put out bins year-round to collect donations for the Vilas Food Pantry, including Trig’s and Pick ‘n Save in Eagle River and Camps Fresh Market in St. Germain. 

Vilas Food Pantry is open to the public the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 3 to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 10 a.m. 

Families can visit twice per month. 

For information on the Vilas Food Pantry, call director Sandy Weber at 715-479-9581. 

Other area food pantries are open throughout the North Woods to provide assistance. 

For operating hours, contact each pantry individually. 

Feed Our Rural Kids 

Currently, Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) manages five programs including Meals Now, Jumpstart, Formula Support, FORK Cares and the 10 Children’s Pantry locations. 

These helpful programs depend solely on the donations they receive. 

The recent expansion of FORK nutritional support programs has allowed for the creation of the Children’s Pantry program within the elementary schools located in Eagle River, St. Germain, Land O’ Lakes and Phelps. 

Individuals can learn more about the various programming and/ or make an online gift at feedourruralkids.org. 

Checks can be mailed to either Feed Our Rural Kids or to the Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Fund at: 4887 Echo Ridge Drive, Eagle River, WI 54521. 

Red Kettle Campaign 

The Vilas County-Three Lakes Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign also is underway and in need of volunteer help.

Volunteer bell ringers are essential to the continued ability to assist those less fortunate in North Woods communities. 

Many kettles are available to make donations at, including Trig’s Eagle River, Pick n’ Save or at Nelson Ace Hardware. 

Volunteers can sign up at salvationarmyusa.org.