This Christmas season, with the community’s assistance, the White Lake Giving Tree provided food and gifts for 311 households who live in the Montague and Whitehall school districts.
This ministry comes together through the cooperation of many area churches, schools, businesses, groups, and individuals to help brighten Christmas for many neighbors who are struggling at this time of year. The recipient families consist of senior citizens, single people, families with children of all ages, and some residents at SHAWL Apartments and Optalis Health and Rehabilitation.
The White Lake Giving Tree received donations of toys, clothing, handmade hats, scarves, and quilts, which were included in several families' gift boxes. Canned goods and other nonperishables were collected by Montague's Oehrli Elementary, local churches, and White Lake Catholic parishioners.
The students from Whitehall's Shoreline Elementary made Christmas cards that were distributed to the recipient families. Ferry Memorial Church donated 110 turkeys. Nestle Gerber (Fremont) donated baby food valued at over $3,600. Food was also purchased at a discounted price from Montague Foods and Feeding America (Grand Rapids).
Montague High School, Whitehall High School, Lebanon Lutheran Church, St. Peter’s-by-the-Lake Church, St. James Catholic Church, Faith Lutheran Church, Our Lady of the Assumption Church (Rothbury), White Lake United Methodist Church, St Mary of the Woods Chapel (Lakewood Club), White Lake Congregational Church, White Lake Eagles and Hilite International took gift tags to purchase Christmas gifts for children. One individual donated over $500 in toys to be gifted to children.
Hope Bible Chapel collected various sizes of bedding that was gifted to families. The White Lake Chamber LEADS Group volunteered to wrap Christmas gifts.
Coldwell Banker, Greenridge Realty of Montague, a local Girl Scout troop, New Beginnings Church, and parishioners from White Lake Catholic churches adopted families, providing all the food and gifts for them. St. Mary of the Woods in Lakewood Club hosted a turkey dinner and donated the proceeds. The White Lake Eagles also hosted a turkey dinner and a bakeless bake sale and donated the proceeds.
Monetary donations were received from St. John the Baptist Chapel (Claybanks), Our Lady of the Assumption (Rothbury), the Knights of Columbus and the Knights Auxiliary, White Lake Catholics Quilting Ministry, American Legion Auxiliary, the Dirt Dauber Garden Club, White Lake Methodist's ‘Women in Faith’ group, Claybanks United Methodist Women’s Group, Erdman Machine, Seaver’s Lawn Service, The Homestead restaurant, and many other individuals from the community.
West Michigan Family Dentistry and Ferguson Family Dentistry donated toothpaste and toothbrushes. Montague Foods provided a discount on laundry soap, shampoo chicken, ham, potatoes, butter, cheese, eggs, bread, oranges, and various canned food. Country Dairy supplied milk at a discounted price. Menards provided a discount on laundry baskets which were gifted to families.
There were many individuals and groups that worked tirelessly for months to pull all this together. Their goal was to share their time and talent to ease the stress and brighten Christmas for others in our area.
To everyone who contributed to the White Lake Giving Tree - be it food, gifts, time, money, braving the frigid weather on delivery day, or prayers - thank you. You are the heart of this ministry.
