By MARGIE WIESENTHAL

Most of us are waiting for the end of the pandemic and hope to get vaccinated . What are we doing while we wait ? I ’ m doing puzzles , reading books , making dinner and taking walks . I didn ’ t have a normal Thanksgiving or Christmas . But I did get what I wanted for Christmas . So did our whole family . We helped each other in the family . But what am I doing that will help someone outside my family ?

While Boys and Girls Aid waits and waits , we are doing a lot to help others . Here is the picture of the list of things that many of the children

COURTESY PHOTOS

Leslie Walker , left , and Megan Bos hold a list of items children wanted for Christmas .

wanted for Christmas . It is held by Leslie and Megan .

Each child wrote what they wanted

Megan Bos helps collect the gifts .

and it was to be returned to Leslie ’ s house unwrapped with the tag attached . All the tags were taken by

those of us in the Cypress Branch of Boys and Girls Aid . All the gifts were returned in time to be delivered for Christmas . This is what we did while we were waiting . The other picture is of all the gifts brought to Leslie ’ s house .

We also stuffed 30 sport bags for boys . As you read last month , these bags contained basketballs , sweatshirts , sox , cookies and toys . How long does it take a 16-year-old boy to eat 24 cookies ?

About five minutes , unless he is the kind who likes to wait and have some later .

These children are all served by the great work that Boys and Girls Aid does . They have also been waiting for the pandemic to be over so that they can go back to school .

Waiting has its rewards , not just to those who receive , but to those who give . To find out more about Boys and Girls Aid go to boysandgirlsaid . org .

By JOAN VEDDER

I hope you ’ ve all said “ goodbye ” to 2020 . It was truly a year to remember , mostly in a negative way . I want to hug my great grandchildren , visit friends and family , go

to a movie , have a fancy dinner out , things I have missed being able to do .

Sunshine Service has done a

VEDDER great job this year , considering what we ’ ve been up against . When the CCC “ locks down ,” we have still been able to help you all . Rick Schram deserves a medal for all he ’ s done to help out . He delivers , picks up , keeps good records

( for me , later ) and is so prompt about it all . In doing this favor for us , we have managed to stay distanced from others .

Please don ’ t hesitate to return things you ’ ve borrowed several months ago , just phone me and I ’ ll set it up for you . Our cupboard does run low at times so it ’ s important to help us keep service going .

A note here : Somebody donated a large number telephone to us and I ’ m offering it ( to keep ) to anybody that might need such an item . You ’ d just plug it into any phone jack in

your home . It ’ s even set up with braille bumps for the extremely hard to see ! If you want to see it for yourself , or maybe someone you know , just let me know .

According to the headlines , help for the virus is on the way ! In the meantime , remember to wear your mask , wash your hands and don ’ t mingle . We can surely do this for another few months , especially when we have something positive to look forward to . Those spring flowers will look fabulous !