Bowling Green’s Dear Santa Society is getting ready to give a helping hand to families facing financial
hardships this holiday season.
The Dear Santa Society is a non-profit charity that established a chapter in Bowling Green in 2008 to
serve families in the Bowling Green School District; other chapters are located in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. The group is committed to helping families with young children during the holiday season.
Cindy Maas and Dee Szalejko, teachers at Bowling Green High School, are co-chairpersons of this year’s
fundraiser, which was kicked off Tuesday with a lunch for teachers at the high school.
The local chapter estimates it can serve five families with each $1,000 raised, and its goal is 40
families.
Volunteers are raising the $8,000 needed to provide food baskets for the families. Donations are tax
deductible and should be made to the Dear Santa Society, P.O. Box 513, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402.
The society’s continued success is dependent upon the generosity of individuals, businesses and service
organizations.
Donations of new toys, clothes, underwear, socks, hats and mitten also are greatly appreciated.
Families that would like to be considered for assistance should write a letter to Dear Santa at the above
address and describe their circumstances. The letter should include information on children’s names,
sizes, ages and wish list, plus a telephone number where the society can reach an adult for
verification.
Letters are due Dec. 5. Families will be contacted the first week of December if the society can be of
assistance.