ROSCOMMON COUNTY – The Kids Helping Kids Foster Christmas Program committee accepted a donation from Sheriff Ed Stern and Undersheriff Ben Lowe for $2,022 from the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office 2020 “No Shave Fundraiser.”
This event allows anyone from area agencies to grow beards, goatees, mustaches, etc. for a donation. Last year the event ran from October to December and members from many local law enforcement agencies participated.
This is the sixth annual “No Shave” fundraising event. Each year before the event begins, they select a different charity helping local children to receive all the funds raised from the campaign. This year, the Kids Helping Kids Foster Christmas Program was selected as the recipient.
The Kids Helping Kids program began in 2008 and provides a family Christmas dinner and gifts for the foster children and their families in Roscommon County. 2020 looked a bit different as COVID regulations did not allow for the traditional one-night gathering which includes a prepared traditional holiday meal, visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus and the youth volunteers serving the families, cleaning up, entertaining the children and assisting Santa as “elves” passing out gifts. Instead, the youth volunteers did the shopping and wrapping of the gifts in small groups and gift cards were provided for food for each family.
The Kids Helping Kids Foster Christmas Program functions with a handful of concerned adult volunteers from area agencies and organizations that oversee several youth volunteers.
Main partners are ACT NOW, Gerrish Township Police Department, Houghton Lake Rotary and Interact Club, Roscommon Rotary and Interact Club, Roscommon County Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council, National Honor Society Members, Roscommon County Department of Health & Human Services and Walmart of Houghton Lake.
The Kids Helping Kids Foster Christmas Program committee would like to sincerely thank the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office and all the participants for donating to this very unique program. Last Christmas this program assisted 21 local foster families and 49 children.
