Teenagers show true spirit of Christmas

Youngsters and teenagers have really put their hearts into this year's Hawke's Bay Christmas Cheer Appeal.

Havelock North's Iona College was the latest school to do its generous bit for the appeal which will bring smiles to the faces of those less fortunate at this special time of the year.

Along with school chaplain Ellie Burge, two of the students, Meg and Olivia, arrived at the Hastings Family Works reception office late last week with many bags and boxes of colourful gifts and goodies which had been collected for the appeal.

They will become part of the hundreds of gift and food parcels which will begin to be prepared later this week ready for the agencies which nominated the recipients to pick up and distribute for Christmas Day.

In Napier, youngsters involved in the City Rock "Kidz" community programme were asked to donate a toy or two they no longer played and they responded big time. Two big bags and two big boxes of top-quality soft toys and goodies were dropped off under the tree at the Hawke's Bay Today office.

Little Luda Wilson, who is just 2-and-a-half, also popped in with his mum last week and with a smile cheerfully dropped off a bag of new soft toys.

He will have a great Christmas, and he's made sure other little ones will as well.

On the cash donations front, About Decorating sent in a cheque for $50 to keep the fundraising simmering along.

People wanting to donate to the 2012 Hawke's Bay Christmas Cheer Appeal can do so at the Napier and Hastings offices of Hawke's Bay Today, the Hastings, Havelock North and Flaxmere public libraries, Paper Plus in Taradale , Classic Hits Napier, Toyworld and Mitre 10 Mega in Hastings and Napier.

Three cash donation accounts will be run so donors can nominate for their money to go to Napier, Hastings or the joint account.

Toys and books for children, and gifts for teenagers and adults are sought for gift parcels, along with non-perishable foodstuffs. The appeal runs until Friday.