Spreading Holiday Cheer

Tamara Bowdren has volunteered with the Holiday Helpline for over 20 years, helping to organize gifts that adopters bring in for the families who are participating and adopting families herself over the years.

She has stories about the people who are helped, such a woman who requested bird seed as one of her gifts so she could watch the birds through the winter.

“I don’t have kids or family nearby, and I live locally, so it helps just put you in the mood,” Tamara said. “It just makes you feel good.”

The Holiday Helpline will serve 110 families this year, many with multiple members. Adopters were local families, businesses and organizations.

“With all that’s going on in the world, this makes you feel good about the world,” Tamara said.