Select-A-Gift set to return

Select-A-Gift was launched in Custer last weekend with a benefit concert at The Custer Beacon. Now the trees are up and filled with tags at participating Custer churches, banks/credit unions and businesses. Community members are encouraged to take a gift tag from one of these trees and buy a gift for the person on the tag. 

Select-A-Gift is part of the annual Custer Ministerial Alliance’s Christmas Community Project which ensures that families in need are able to experience the joy of giving and receiving gifts.  Gifts are gathered during November and December for all age groups: children, teenagers, moms, dads and senior citizens of Custer County.  

On Select-A-Gift day, families may pick one gift for each family member. The children as a family pick one present for mom and one for dad, and the parents pick one present for each child. These gifts are then wrapped and tagged for opening on Christmas Day.  

The committee encourages folks to pick the “Mom” and “Dad” tags, as there is a need for these and it is heartwarming to see the smiles on the children’s faces when they learn they get to choose a gift for Mom and Dad.  

Select-A-Gift trees are at Custer Lutheran Fellowship, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Custer Community Church, Crossroads Church, Grace Family Fellowship, First Interstate Bank, Highmark Credit Union, Dacotah Bank, Family Dollar, Custer Jr./Sr. High School library, The Custer Beacon and Custer Hospital/Clinic.

Gift suggestions are printed on the back of the tag.  Gifts are to be returned (unwrapped) to the church or to the business where the gift tag was selected by Dec. 17. The gifts will distributed Dec. 21. 

Cash donations or checks made out to Custer Ministerial Alliance are also accepted and help fill in where gifts are needed. Trees with cash donation envelopes are at First Interstate Bank and Highmark Credit Union, or call Select-A-Gift chairwoman Juli Ames-Curtis at 673-2967 or 970-391-9921.  

For questions or if you wish to help with setting up or wrapping gifts, call Ames-Curtis. 

If you are a Custer County resident or know of someone or a family who could use help this Christmas, call Donna at 440-0518 or inquire at The Storehouse to find out if you qualify for this program.