FOCUS - DECEMBER 2017 27 Port Perry Baptist Church would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Friday December 15 - 6:00 p.m. Family Christmas Dinner & Program $15 per person / $40 per family Tickets are available until Dec. 10th Space is limited so get your tickets early. Sunday December 17 - 6:00 p.m. “Christmas Comes to Pinecone Creek” Refreshments will follow. Sunday December 24 - 6:00 p.m. Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Port Perry Baptist Church 2210 Hwy 7A (At Island Rd.) 905-985-8681 office@portperrybaptist.ca All are welcome We invite you to share the Christmas season with us. Sunday December 24 Christmas Eve Service 7:00 p.m. Scugog Island United Church 19100 Scugog Island Rd., Port Perry • 905-985-4094 Experience the Joy of that First Christmas Living 2 Presentations Each Evening 7:30 p.m. & 8:15 p.m. Nativity Living Nativity A Gift to our Community from Uxbridge Baptist Church An outdoor re-creation of the Christmas story, complete with narration, authentic costumes & live animals Friday December 15 Saturday December 16 Sunday December 17 in Centennial Park Uxbridge, Ontario Davis Dr. Brock St. Hwy 407 Hwy 404 Hwy 12 Brock Rd. Bloomington Hwy 47 Toronto St. Poplar Town Hall N Centennial Park 2017 Please visit over the Christmas Season and celebrate the birth of Jesus with us. Sunday, December 10 “The Great Exchange” Children’s Dance Group Christmas Eve Services Sunday, December 24 10 am: Children’s Choir 7 pm: Candle Light Service Uxbridge Baptist Church 231 Brock St. W., Uxbridge 905-852-3662 www.uxbridgebaptist.com When shopping for an item to donate to a Christmas toy drive, it’s tempting to pick up a cute toy that a little child would enjoy. Although such donations are welcome, Operation Scugog Chair Karen Teed pointed out that there is a growing need for gifts for older chil- dren, teenagers and adults. As the demographic of the local pop- ulation changes, the needs of Operation Scugog’s clients have changed too, Karen says. Many of the people served are older singles or couples. The wish list for this year’s Community Christmas Operation Scugog Food and Toy Drive reflects that. Again this year, there will be another popular hoodie drive, which was Sandy O’Hare’s very successful idea. The hoodie project has been going strong since 2014. Adults and teens are given a beautiful new hoodie along with a gift card to brighten their Christmas. If you wish to donate a hoodie, you may drop it off at the Focus on Scugog magazine office, at 188 Mary St. in Port Perry. Christmas gift recipients who sign up for a gift card can choose from any of the local grocery stores, Shoppers Drug Mart, Canadian Tire, Walmart and Mark’s. A $50 card is given to adults. Couples receive a $75 card. Local stores are supported, “so all the funds are spent back in the community,” Karen noted. As well as gift cards and hoodies, other gift suggestions for 2017 include household items such as queen sized sheets, towels and toiletries, for adults and couples. Ideas for teenagers include earbuds, pajamas, iTunes cards and toiletry sets. Fuzzy slippers are also wel- come for all. Everyone on Santa’s list at Operation Scugog also receive some cozy socks from Mark’s. Of course, special Christmas food hampers are available as well, with vouchers for turkeys or whatever edible treats the individuals would enjoy. Karen has volunteered with the local food bank for 14 years and for five years, she has been involved in the Christmas gift program. She credits the generosity of Scugog township residents with the success of Operation Scugog, which was established in 1987. The recipients of the Christmas gifts and hampers are “very grateful,” Karen described. “You should see the happy looks on their faces when they get Christmas presents!” Drop box locations, from now until December 15, are set up at BMO, 1894 Scugog St., Canadian Tire, 14325 Simcoe St., CIBC, 145 Queen St., Emmerson Insurance, 193 Queen St., Foodland, 278 Queen St., Gus Brown, 10 Vanedward Dr., McDonald’s, 14500 Simcoe, St., PP Print, 201 North St., Royal Bank, 210 Queen St., Scotiabank, 1535 Hwy 7A, Shoppers Drug Mart, 1865 Scugog St., Vos’ Independent Grocer, 1893 Scugog St., and Walmart 1535 Hwy 7A. You can also make a $2 (or more) donation to- wards the local food and gift drive while shopping at Vos’ Independent Grocer, from now until December 9. OPERATION SCUGOG Hoodies and gift cards on Christmas Wish List This year’s slogan is “Help ‘change’ a family’s Christmas.” If you want to be a secret Santa, contact Karen at 905-985-4899. By Lynn Campbell, Focus on Scugog