The gift of giving

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

This year’s The Giving Store will take place Saturday, Dec. 11.

Every December for the past 19 years, The Giving Store, a program put on by Flagler Volunteer Services, gives kindergartners through fifth-graders the opportunity to provide gifts for people they care about.

The store will open 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, with appointments every 15 minutes. The store is set up at Cattleman’s Hall, at the Flagler County Fair Grounds, off County Road 13. At the event, which is designed like a department store, children select new gifts for each member of their household and will have them gift-wrapped. The money to buy all the new gifts comes from two yearly rummage sales.

The first rummage sale at the end of April collected more than $8,000, according to Sherry Calderaro, the lead volunteer with The Giving Store. The second rummage sale, which took place in October, collected about $5,500.

Last year’s store offered nearly 3,000 gifts to about 500 kids. This year, Calderaro expects almost 600 children and even more gifts.

Calderaro, who has been involved for about eight years, said the store provides more than gifts, though.
“Not just for me, but for all the volunteers, it’s incredibly gratifying,” Calderaro said. “And it’s worth all the work we put in.”

Calderaro pointed out that it helps the children and teaches them how to give. She said it’s great for the family members who receive gifts, but it also helps the volunteers immensely.

“It brings the holiday spirit to everyone,” Calderaro said. “All of the donations that people in our county give stay in our county. It’s all going to people in our community.”

If you missed registration, call 597-2950 for more information.