By Kelsey Palmer

kpalmer@jacksonvilleprogress.com

With the nation’s economy failing and unemployment on the rise, the Rusk Lions Club’s annual Project Dream Tree is hoping to make this Christmas merry and bright for some Rusk families.

Lions Club member Vic Whadford said this will be the second year Rusk Lions coordinated Project Dream Tree — a community effort focused on providing Christmas gifts to Rusk children up to age 10 and senior citizens who wouldn’t get a Christmas otherwise.

“These people who receive the presents must meet certain criteria,” Whadford said. “Many of them are hard-working people that are stuck in unfortunate circumstances. They aren’t just working the system; the need is truly there.”

Whadford said each family’s circumstances are different — from a father who’s been laid off to a a mother facing illness. As for the senior citizens, Whadford said the ones chosen by the project generally don’t have a lot of family or friends who visit them.

“These are our neighbors who are trying the best they can, but they just don’t have the means for a lot of extras,” he said.

Dream Trees are being set out throughout downtown Rusk in Austin Bank, Prosperity Bank, Citizens 1st Bank, Southern Cherokee Federal Credit Union and Texas National Bank, with each one donned with cut-out, paper gingerbreads listing the name and age of a local child or senior citizen who is in need.

“The people who are gingerbreads are very thankful for the gifts they receive under the tree, and from what I’ve seen, Rusk citizens are the more happy to provide it for them,” Rusk Chamber Executive Director Bob Goldsberry said.

According to Whadford, the gingerbreads spread throughout the trees last year totaled 150 children and 11 seniors, but this year, he is expecting more applications due to increasing unemployment and the economic situation.

“We are still getting applications from people in need who are requesting help from Project Dream Tree,” Whadford said. “So far, we have 80 gingerbreads, but we will continue to put up gingerbreads as they come in so we can bring Christmas to every child and senior who would otherwise not have one.”

Even with the Lions Club’s expectations, Goldsberry is confident they will see more people donating to fill the very large order the community has set before them.

“Project Dream Tree is very near and dear to the people of Rusk,” he said. “In years past, they have always supported it to the fullest and even with the bad economy, we hope to discover that the support will continue.”

Like last year, the Lions Club requests that individuals buying presents to only pay around $35 to $45 for each gingerbread in total and would prefer presents be turned in wrapped with the original gingerbread tag attached to it.

“There are many families that may have two or three children getting presents from the Dream Tree and we ask everyone to keep within our requested limit in order to keep things equal,” Whadford said. “Rather than spending a lot of money on one gingerbread, we would rather they spend a generous amount on two or three so they can all get a present.”

Though choosing a child or senior from the Dream Tree is one of the best ways to provide for others in the local community this Christmas, it is not the only way to help out with Project Dream Tree.

“For those who maybe can’t afford the $35 to $45 we request for each gingerbread, we will also have boxes at the two dollar stores in Rusk — Dollar General and Family Dollar — where people can donate a toy of any price they’ve bought and it will be under a child’s tree this Christmas,” Whadford said.

Any donation to the project is helpful according to Whadford, but if someone doesn’t have the time to shop for a gingerbread, he said they are welcome to donate money to Project Dream Tree by sending checks to the Rusk Lions Club at P.O. Box 113, Rusk, Texas, 75785.

Because the Lions Club uses a separate account for money given to the Dream Tree and money meant to serve the actual club, he also requests all who donate to specify what they would like their money used for to make sure it goes to the right place.

Whadford added how the Lions Club has many secret helpers willing to donate their time, including the Leo Club and the Rusk United Methodist Church youth group.