The Joy of Giving

One of the greatest joys of the holiday season is giving to those who are less fortunate than us.  Trilogy members are generous throughout the year, but many make an extra effort to reach out during the holiday season, when the need is often most strongly felt.  Read on to discover just a few of the ways that our community members are making the holidays brighter for those in need.

Part 3 of this series includes opportunities for giving at the communities of  Trilogy Orlando and Shea Homes at Ardiente.

Joy of Giving at Trilogy Orlando

There are some wonderful ways that Trilogy Orlando members can make a difference this holiday season!

Toys for Tots

Trilogy Orlando is partnering with the South Lake County Sgt. I. W. Hatcher detachment of the Marine Corps League to support the Toys For Tots 2014 Collection Campaign! Giving is simple:  place new, unwrapped toys for children of either gender and any age group in the box at the Magnolia House clubhouse. The toys collected at Trilogy Orlando will be combined with all other toys collected in our area.  They will be sorted and distributed to the needy children of this area by our local Marine Corps League Detachment. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Giving Hope to Homeless Students

Trilogy Orlando members are encouraged to consider Lake Minneola High School students during the holiday season.  This school currently has 21 students who are actively and consistently in need of assistance.  These students are very humble and caring of their families and their day-to-day needs.

These students are living in heart-wrenching situations, and most of them are in need of basics such as food, shelter, and clothing.  When asked what they would want for Christmas, many selflessly asked for new clothes for their families and gift cards to fulfill their families’ needs.

If you would like to help these local students in great need, the following items would be appreciated:

• Food
• Toilet Paper
• Paper Towels
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Bottled Water
• Under clothes
• Women’s shirts (size small and medium)
• Women’s pants (size 8, 12, and 14)
• Women’s shoes (size 7.5, 8.5)
• Men’s shirts (size large and 2xl)
• Men’s pants (size 34×32, 36×34, 38×33)
• Men’s shoes: 10, 10.5, 12, 14
• Gift cards

Blankets and pillows would also be very much appreciated, as many of these students are living in hotels in which they share one room with 5 or more family members.  Clothes are especially important as the weather gets cooler, and gift cards will help the families to get whatever basic supplies they need.

All donations can be brought to Trilogy member Anne Pollick, whose address can be found in the Member Directory on MyTrilogyLife.com.  She will then bring them to Lake Minneola High School, where they will be distributed to the 21 students who have been identified as being in dire need of assistance. Thank you so much for your generosity!

Joy of Giving at Ardiente

There are many different ways to give hope and joy to others this season at Ardiente!

Goodies & Gifts for Children of Active Duty Military

This past weekend, Carol Meyer will be collected homemade cookies and toys at the Ardiente community clubhouse for active duty military personnel for the holiday season.

Carol will deliver the homemade cookies to Nellis Air Force Base for the Annual Nellis and Creech Airman Cookie Drive. Since many active duty military will not be able to be home for the holidays, your cookies will bring a little piece of home to them.

Should you also choose to do so, you may donate unwrapped toys for the families of Nellis and Creech active duty military who are currently deployed to other military bases around the world. Carol will deliver any toys received to Nellis Air Force Base for distribution to the Nellis and Creech families whose loved ones are deployed. Please note that these toys are only for the children of deployed active duty military. No toys will be distributed to the civilian population.

Carol would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this effort to bring holiday cheer to active duty military and families of deployed active duty military at Nellis and Creech Air Force Base.

Adopt an Active Duty Military Family

Members of the Veterans Club and the Auxiliary have once again adopted two military families in great need of our help during this holiday season. The Jarrett family has a mom who is in the military and has been sent to Afghanistan, and a stay at home Dad who holds down the fort and cares for their three boys who have autism. Our second family is the Woolland family, who are active duty Air Force with two children. Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated!

When you take a paper ornament off the tree, please take it to the front desk and have the receptionist record the information.  Please wrap your gift and attach that ornament to the gift before returning it the front desk.  This step is vital to the success of our project, as without that tag attached we do not know who the gift belongs to. All gifts must be returned to the Clubhouse by Friday, December 19th.

Ardiente is an amazingly generous community, and we hope that we can show our appreciation to these two military families again this year.  Without your help these projects would not happen.

Be a Toyland Elf All Year ‘Round!

Vince and Grace McNeil met Toys 4 Smiles founder, Rex Doty, at an Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department function where Rex was handing out really neat wooden vehicles. Rex explained that a wonderful group of volunteers created these vehicles, using donated supplies, in a workshop that is just 14 miles south of Ardiente.

Rex informed them that Toys 4 Smiles is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that “combines scrap wood with spare time to make toys that enrich the lives of all involved”. Dozens of organizations (including Safe Nest, Sunrise Children’s Hospital, Shade Tree and UMC Burn Center) in Clark County and the surrounding areas are provided with wooden cars and trucks, bringing smiles to their clients.

Vince and Grace checked it out online, then in person, and signed up on the spot.

If you’d like to learn more about Toys 4 Smiles, visit their Facebook page.  You can also stop by their toy shop at 3170 Polaris Ave #17-18, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Hours of operation and contact info can be found on the website.

Experience with power tools is not necessary; all skill levels (or lack thereof!) are welcome. When and how much time donated is your choice.  Join Vince and Grace McNeil in giving back, making smiles, and hanging out with some really nice people.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season!