The Clay County Giving Tree, which started over 35 years ago in the basement of the former Christian Church in Clay Center by Ed and Judy Barnes began small, but little did the Barnes’ know at the time, but the annual event has grown leaps and bounds, as we fast forward to the 2023 Giving Tree wrapping event, slated to be Wednesday, Dec. 20, at the Clay County Fairgrounds Activities Building.
According to current organizers of the current Giving Tree event, the Barnes’ had a couple of families who were really “on their hearts” as the holiday season drew near and they wanted to help them in any way they could.
Along with a couple of other folks, they gathered together and made “care packages” to help brighten their spirits.
Each year, according to Tina Buckhalter, the daughter of the Barnes’, more and more families or individuals were “on their hearts”.
“Each year more and more people got involved with helping to provide for those who may be in need. As the operation grew, it expanded and it was noticed that there were many people throughout Clay County that were struggling, especially around the holiday season. Thus, the Clay County Giving Tree was born” shared Buckhalter.
“I have grown up with the Giving Tree, as well as my brothers and my daughter. It does not seem like the holiday season without being a part of it. As we have grown older, we have started to take over some of the duties that Ed and Judy have always done.”
Buckhalter added, “I never realized all of the time and effort that went into the planning and organizing. Starting in September/October, those who have volunteered in the past are contacted to see if they would like to be a part of it again.”
Buckhalter went on to say that every year new faces emerge that want to do their part to help out those in need. All of the churches and schools are contacted and asked to identify anyone who they feel need a little extra assistance during the holidays. The Giving Tree is open to anyone, but special attention is given to children and the elderly.
Each person that fills out a form can ask for two items. “We try to get one clothing item and one other item of choice.”
According to Buckhalter, The Giving Tree is completely funded by donations with a limit of $50 per person. Each gift request is entered into our computer system. Each item that is requested is printed out on a gift tag.
Tags are delivered to the banks in Clay County, the Clay County Courthouse, and the Meat Animal Research Center west of Clay Center, whose staff generously put up Christmas trees on which the tags are hung. People are encouraged to go to any of these locations and pick a tag(s) from the tree.
Gifts that correspond to the chosen tag are purchased and returned to the location it was picked from. The gifts are picked up the day of the giving tree and delivered to the Clay County Fairgrounds, where all of the work is done.
“What people don’t realize is that any tag that is not taken from a tree is picked up on the Friday before the Giving Tree. All of the tags that remain, have gifts that need to be purchased prior to Giving Tree day.”
Buckhalter added, “the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday prior to the wrapping event, are spent in a frenzy trying to find and purchase the desired items. Sometimes it is very difficult to find the exact items, so some switches have to be made.
The day prior to the Giving Tree is spent going through the items that were just purchased and matching them to the correct tag. This takes a LONG time! Then the gifts are boxed, wrapped, scanned in, and placed with other items from the same household. There is a group of people who are responsible for each aspect of the operation. There are the planners, the ones who enter all of the gifts into the computer system, shoppers, boxers, wrappers, scanners, baggers, and delivery drivers.
“The Giving Tree is near and dear to my heart, and also everyone that takes part each year. It takes a small village to make it successful every year. There are over 1,000 gift requests and it seems to grow each year. Without those who pick tags off the trees and those who generously give financially, it would never be possible. It is great to see the people of Clay County come together to help out some of their own,” finalized Buckhalter.
Involved in taking the leadership role for the annual event with Buckhalter includes the Barnes’ son, Adam and their granddaughter, Tiana Barnes.
In addition, according to Robyn VonSpreckelsen, “my nephew and niece, Justin and Amy VonSpreckelsen, our kids, Jesse, Josey, Bethany, and Sam VonSpreckelsen and Scot and myself are going to attempt to carry on the tradition and mission they started.”
Additional support also comes from Peg VonSpreckelsen, Michael Derr, Steve Shackelford, and Steve Johnson.
VonSpreckelsen shared that the Barnes and VonSpreckelsen family are all family, the decendants of Jesse and Berneice Barnes of Clay Center.
