Collection of friends gifts to Sidney community

SIDNEY -- Three years in the making, a group of friends continue to make Christmas a time of giving.

This collection of friends meet and pick a person or cause to gift during the Christmas season. The effort is giving to those who may not have the means to give back. The recipient could be random or a recognized community need, according to Molly Highby.

The first gift was a favorite waitress, a young mother, in Sidney. Everyone who attended pooled their money for a nice tip for the waitress.

Highby said in 2022, the second year the group provided a Christmas gift, started with a little research.

"[In the] second year, which was last year, we asked around in the community and we pooled our money for a single dad raising two kids under the age of four to give them a good Christmas This year it was the food bank (at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church). The food bank was almost out of food. So, we came just in time," Highby said.

She said they organized those in attendance and went shopping.

"So, we drew teams, so we had 18 shoppers. We had teams of two. And everybody also drew a category for the food bank. Each team had a category. They had their $200 to spend however they want in that category. Afterward, we all drove to the church, and we filled every freezer; everything is jam-packed," she said.

The donations included coats and hats and many miscellaneous items.

Following the shopping spree and donation to the food pantry, the friends toured the town singing Christmas carols on a hayrack ride.

Holy Trinity also has a "community food pantry" that is available to anyone in need. For more information about the Holy Trinity Food Pantry contact the church at (308) 254-3124.