‘Paying it forward’

One of Santa’s busiest elves, Sharon Graham of Positively Postal, has already completed one Christmas project and is busy on another.

Earlier this week Sharon sent nine boxes of goodies, including 100 Christmas stockings, to troops overseas. She had the idea to send 25 stockings, which is enough for a company; but when she made the offer, was asked to provide enough stockings for a platoon – 100 stockings. She decided to go for it. “I know our community is so generous, I knew we could do it,” she said.

While donations of stocking stuffers came in rapidly, the funds needed for shipping the donated goods were slower. Graham made an appeal for help to the business community and was thrilled with a large cash donation from a couple of area businessmen including Kevin Randles of Dashco, who, like Graham, believes in giving back to the community. She was able to ship the gifts off to the service men and women in time for the holidays.

Graham’s second project, a Tree of Sharing for children in the local community, is well under way. A tree, covered with 150 tags for boys and girls from infant to age 18, sits just inside her door at Positively Postal, a few presents already nestled at its base.

Graham says she has always believed in “paying it forward,” and has helped with the community Tree of Sharing for several years. The project is so popular, she says people began calling her in October to check whether or not she had the tags ready yet.

One mother in Rathdrum says her young son finds joy in giving. For the past couple of years he has eagerly saved his allowance all year long. In December, he picks tags off the Tree of Sharing, picks out the gifts himself, and returns with a carload of well-chosen gifts.

Those who stop by and pick up a tag are asked to purchase a gift for the child and return the unwrapped gifts to Positively Postal “no later than Dec.16 – the 18th at the latest,” said Graham. The gifts are not specific. “Just buy what you think they would like as a gift,” she said. Volunteers at the Rathdrum Food Bank will wrap and distribute the gifts.

“Our community is awesome,” said Graham as she confidently glanced at the dozens of gift tags still to be picked up. She says she is sure everyone will receive a gift because a couple of “last minute angels” stop by each year and donate enough cash to take care of any requests that are unmet.

If you are interested in making a donation or purchasing a gift for Rathdrum’s Tree of Sharing, stop by Positively Postal at 13785 W. Highway 53 No. 4, or call 687-5353.