Thank you to Angel Tree contributorsThe Division of Child and Family Services would like to recognize the various businesses, sponsors and individuals that contributed to our 2012 Angel Tree Project for our foster children in care. This project is vital to provide for the wishes and dreams of children who have been abused and neglected and removed from their homes. Because of the generosity of the following businesses and their faithful patrons, community sponsors and individuals, the world became a brighter place for these kids on Christmas morning:The Carson City Nugget; Casino Fandango; The Grill Restaurant in Gold Dust West Casino; Seeliger Elementary School; Ron Wood Family Resource Center; Storytime Photography; Bureau of Child, Family and Community Wellness; Mrs. Sandy Milder; Division of Child and Family Services, central office; Carson City Aglow Lighthouse; Division of Health Care Financing and Policy; Ms. Cassandra Crevling; Department of Motor Vehicles, director’s office; NDOT, Architecture Division; Tolman and Company Jewelers; LifePoint Church of Minden; Department of Public Safety, Records and Technology; Airport Road Church of Christ; Starbucks Coffee Company; Carl and Joy Spradlin; Department of Health and Human Services; Lauren Risinger, Division of Child and Family Services personnel officer; Nick and Carla Vestbie, Nortech Geotechnical; Steve Howell, U.S. Forest Service; Amber Howell, Division of Child and Family Services administrator, Lakeside Properties; and all the unnamed people who purchased and wrapped gifts and contributed time and talent to this massive project. Each one of you is owed a sincere debt of gratitude.If you are thinking about fostering for the state of Nevada, now is the perfect time to get started. Contact Lori Nichols at 775-687-4943 Ext. 262.Lori NicholsDivision of Child and Family ServicesHomebound seniors get Christmas cheerWith the assistance of a generous and caring community, the Carson City Senior Center was able to assist in providing Christmas cheer to over 250 homebound seniors this holiday season.The Adopt-A-Senior program is designed to have donations made to benefit homebound seniors struggling to care for themselves, who are in financial distress or are without family or friends. We experienced a tremendous outpouring of generosity and kindness, which is impressive given the fact that we have had a 53 percent increase in service and still live in challenging economic times. But there was enough to provide for all. Donors included Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Soroptimist International of Carson City, Carson City Raiders Booster Club, Kiwanis Club of the Sierra, Carson City Host Lions, Coldwell Banker Best Sellers, Kirsten Shreve and Nevada Emergency Services, Elaine and co-workers with the Nevada Legislature, Allan Flynn, Anna Winston, Betty and Bill Redman, Cecil and Karen Crandall, Christine Cassinelli-Laird, Carson City High School HOSA, Donis Rodarte, EPS West, JP DeMagistris, John and Judy Bryant, Joyce Thornhill, La Tea Da Knitters, Loretta Roche, Marie Borgo, Mary Brown, the Morway family (Eric, Christina, Asa, Leif and Fletcher), Nina Setteley, Patricia Hamilton, Penny Pierce, Renate Daniels, Rhonda the Craft Lady, Sally Zola, North Carson Save Mart, Yvonne and Darrell Schmidt, Sophia Bottino, Lesha Shiflet, Chloie Pratt and all those whose contributions I may have forgotten to mention.These angels provided gifts that made significant impact. Hot plates for those that live in motels, a blood pressure monitor for a recent stroke victim, gloves for a wheelchair-bound double amputee, and Cornish game hens for a Christmas dinner. Although the majority of the gifts were blankets, coats, shoes and food. Our meals and wheels drivers had the honor and pleasure of delivering these Christmas gifts, and were routinely met with tears of joy and expressive and moving appreciation.Thanks to the kindness of community-minded businesses and individuals, our homebound seniors Christmas program was a great success. A greater benefit was the smile we received from each recipient, who knew someone cared, and was thinking about them during the holiday season. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful community like Carson City to live in.Warren BottinoCarson City Senior CenterResponse to project was fantasticThe Young At Heart Senior Citizens Club and Douglas County Senior Center extend their appreciation to all of those who helped with and contributed to the Christmas gift bags for the local homebound seniors and Meals-on-Wheels recipients. This season we were able to distribute 130 large shopping bags filled with your gifts and donations. We received gifts and funds to buy gifts from many local businesses, casinos, retailers, schools, service clubs, churches and individuals too numerous to list here. The response to this project was fantastic. Special thanks go out to the students of Gardnerville Elementary School who made Christmas cards for the recipients of the gift bags and the Douglas High School Leadership students and Key Club members who helped with the delivery of the gift bags. The homebound seniors who received these gifts were highly appreciative and in many cases they were the only Christmas gifts which they received. Thank you again, Douglas County, for your generous holiday spirit.Paul LockwoodMindenBring him a good causeI read an article in the paper that said “Bring him a good cause” and Robert Fleming will likely work for cost or free.The Carson Valley Shrine Club of Kerak Shrine needed help to put a sign on our ambulance to promote the Shriners Hospital for Children. Robert Fleming of WX Signs and Graphics was there to help. Thanks to him you can see our ambulance in future parades.Robert Fleming of WX Signs and Graphics, 1475 Hot Springs Road is the type of person that makes this area such a great place to live. Thanks, Robert.Andy AndersonGardnerville