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The Christmas season is made to bring together friends and loved ones for all the caroling, cookie baking and celebrating that they can handle. But for many families, the joy of the holiday season is tempered by financial woes, as the budget doesn't quite stretch far enough to encompass filling the stockings over the fireplace and space under the tree with gifts.
For the past couple of years, the Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes has been partnering with the local Menards store to bring back some of that holiday joy for families in need by offering a free Christmas Shop for Kids on Dec. 17.
"Last year, they (Menards) donated over 1,500 toys," said Alyssa Hoskins, marketing and communications director for the Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes. "Those were distributed to 442 kids in the community."
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And this year, the Detroit Lakes Jaycees have joined in the fun as well, she added, by providing additional funds for purchasing gifts that are more appropriate for pre-teens and teenagers.
"Gifts for teens are something that there just never seems to be enough of," Hoskins said, adding that those who purchase the gifts at Menards tend to look for toys geared toward younger kids.
So how does it work? For the past few weeks, Menards has had a basket placed next to every cash register at the front of the store, filled to the brim with games and toys for kids of all ages, from infants on up.
The gifts are purchased by Menards customers, who select them directly off the store's shelves, purchase them and drop them off in the donation bins.
As a pile of toys is gathered, staff and volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club will bring a bus over to Menards and gather up the gifts to bring back to the club.
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"The team at Menards does this really, really well — all of the people at the front desk and the cash registers are excited to see us," Hoskins said, adding that the Menards employees "are part of everything," from choosing the toys to helping load them onto the bus and taking them to the club, where they are unloaded and stored until the Christmas Shop opens.
This year's Christmas Shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17, and 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. People can come to the club at 150 Richwood Road at any time during those hours to pick up gifts for all the kids in the family, from infants on up to teenagers — while supplies last.
"There is a gift limit per child, depending on the number of donations received," Hoskins said, "but it is all completely free. We encourage families to use this opportunity — it's always the goal to reach as many kids as we can."
Once they arrive at the club, however, there are some basic courtesy rules to follow.
"A limited number of people will be allowed to shop at a time," Hoskins cautioned, asking that those who come to shop "be prepared to wait in line. Be patient, please."
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Social distancing and facial coverings are also encouraged, as a pandemic precaution. Call 218-847-5700, ext. 0, for more information, or check out the club's Facebook page (search @boysgirlsdl ) for updates on what's available at the Christmas Shop this year.