Serve Daily Volume 9, Issue 103 December 2020

VOL. 9 ISSUE 103 | DECEMBER 2020 | SERVEDAILY.COM

YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE SERVING SPRINGVILLE, MAPLETON, SPANISH FORK, SALEM, PAYSON, SANTAQUIN, NEPHI, EUREKA

TABITHA’S WAY

Local food pantry is on a mission to make life a little easier for struggling families.

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OVERCOME THE HOLIDAY BLUES

By Chris Baird Hello Friends,

holidays.

For others, the activities that surround them are a reminder of sad childhoods, unfulfilled, Here we are in the middle of the holiday season unrequited love, or tragic events. with its amazing array of activities, chores, events, We would never suppose to give the remedy for and expectations. How are we to manage all of each of these frustrations and feelings, but, we this, especially if we deal with the blues? can encourage any who are experiencing these to The blues come in all forms during this reach out for help. spectacular time just because it is the season of I was impressed with a young friend who was family and fun, focus and festivities. But, what feeling this seasonal desperation and posted a happens when all we feel is lonely, overwhelmed, simple plea for help on social media. Immediately under-appreciated, and disconnected by distance? friends reached out and got her the assistance she For some, they just plow through and make so badly needed. This took a lot of courage on themselves busy with all the things to do. They her part. And, those who surrounded her were are motivated by the drop-down list that pushes careful to assist her in finding the professional them on. They can actually get energized in help she needed. spite of the things that loom over them. Staying If you find yourself struggling to cope with these engaged helps them to ignore the pain of the kinds of issues and feelings, know that you can contact any hospital or therapeutic organization to find the help you need. Our desire would be that everyone would be able to find some semblance of joy during this time of year.

From personal experience, it is better not to compare our reality with the person next to us.

We all know that we put our best look out there Serve Daily is published monthly and while hiding the unique struggles of our own dedicated to being your source for lives. inspiration and information.

We hope you will experience more balance, WWW.SERVEDAILY.COM less expectation, and fulfilling interactions this Publisher / Executive Editor Chris Baird • chris@servedaily.com On the Cover

Columns contributed are appreciated but may not directly

reflect the views and opinions of Serve Daily or its advertisers.

Reproduction in whole or in part without editor’s permission is prohibited.

Additional copies may be purchased for $1 payable to Serve Daily in advance. No person, without express permission of Serve Daily may take more than one copy of any Serve Daily issue. All rights reserved.

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Search andthe rescue volunteers face Where community comes some of to thehelp harshest terrain together local families to help those lost in the wilderness in times of need.

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10.

TABITHA’S WAY

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season. Remember to take care of yourself, rest when you need to, and make a conscious effort to smile.

As always, go out and find someone to Serve Daily, it’ll put a smile on their face and yours.

Until next time, find more great local stories in the remaining pages of this paper and visit our site at servedaily.com.

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Editor James Davis • editor@servedaily.com Contact Serve Daily 801-477-6845

Chris Baird holding up a positive sign by Salem Hills High School.

Local food pantry is on a mission to make life a little easier for struggling families.

SERVE DAILY IN OUR BACKYARD

Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree

By Ed Helmick

As a kid going to the forest and selecting a tree to bring home was an important part of the Christmas season.

We have forests nearby, so my intentions were to write “In Our Backyard” column about cutting your own Christmas tree in the local forest.

I called the Spanish Fork U.S. Forest Service office and was told tree cutting permits were all sold out.

I guess I better get started earlier next year.

That left me searching for something new and different than going to a shopping mall corner Christmas tree lot. Doing a little internet searching I came across Peterson Christmas Trees in Elk Ridge. It is a seasonal business operated out of their large back yard. The customer review comments

Ask A Local Expert

report a feeling at home surrounded by the spirt of Christmas.

A few hours before they opened on Nov. 23, I visited the Peterson’s back yard.

It is decorated in the tradition, with opportunities for family photos. They do have a large back yard with 400 fresh cut trees organized by three types, White Fir, Black Balsam, and Pinion Pine.

Trees are available in sizes from table-top to a twenty-foot tree. In the evening they have a warm fire to add to the spirt of the season, along with the traditional Christmas lights. On a tall pole on the northeast corner of the Christmas tree yard has is a star of Bethlehem which will be illuminated on Christmas eve to remind us what this time of year is about. This is a Christian family sharing the spirt of

Christmas and it shows, it is not your neighborhood Christmas tree lot. The Peterson’s do this because they love doing it.

This is their seventh year in the Christmas tree business and last year they sold 800 trees.

This is a wonderful alternative to going to the forest and cutting down your own tree. And Peterson’s is close to home.

Now, the question of “why do we have a tradition of Christmas trees?”

The fact that some trees remain green in the winter had special significance to ancient cultures as a symbol of everlasting life.

Modern Christmas trees were first seen in 16th-century Germany associated with the Christian Renaissance.

German immigrants brought the tradition to North America as early as 1747,

Photo by Ed Helmick

Peterson Christmas Trees in Elk Ridge makes finding your perfect tree a magical moment.

although the first recorded display was in Pennsylvania in the 1830s. Adopting to the Christmas trees tradition was slow in North America until the 1890’s. Now it seems like every household has a Christmas tree. It has certainly added to our expe-

Have a question for one of our local Experts? Visit ServeDaily.com/contact and submit your question and it will be considered for upcoming articles.

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rience and memories.

As an added point of trivia, it is estimated that 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold every year and close to 350 million trees are being grown on close to 15,000 tree farms. (Helmick is a Serve Daily contributor.)

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Chris has been operting Serve Daily for almost 10 years, the publication has been going for 9 years.

If you would like to learn more information about being one of our featured experts give me a call.

Serve Daily is distributed in South Utah County and North Juab County.

Chris Baird

www.servedaily.com.com DECEMBER 2020

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SERVE DAILY FOCUS

Local cities use COVID relief funds to help community businesses

By Shellie Peterson

In response to COVID-19, the federal government provided state, local and tribal governments with financial assistance.

Here’s a look at how two cities in our community (Santaquin and Payson) used the money to provide much-needed financial assistance to local businesses. The program also helped residents discover the many great small businesses within their own communities.

Santaquin and Payson both decided to adopt a coupon-based program designed to encourage residents to shop with local businesses.

Though the two cities’ programs were similar, they did have a few minor variations.

Santaquin City mailed out envelopes containing four $10 coupons to 3,880 residents within the community. The coupons could be used at any participating local business during the month of September.

The only thing San-

taquin residents needed to do to participate in the program was to bring their coupons with them when shopping locally and present them at checkout.

The business then took the coupon amount off the total purchase price. Businesses collected all vouchers from customers, then turned them in to Santaquin City for reimbursement with money from the CARES act.

Ben Reeves, Santaquin City Manager, explained that Santaquin residents had

the opportunity to spend all coupons at a single location, or spend them at different locations in order to earn an additional $10 coupon.

Reeves said the idea for the program initially came from Herriman City, but it was tweaked to meet the unique needs of the community. Under the direction of Christ Lindquist, the City’s Emergency Manager, Santaquin City hosted a meeting with many local business owners to gather their ideas

about how CARES money could best serve the community.

The program was received with a great deal of gratitude. In all, 51 local businesses participated. They included a combination of storefront and home-based businesses. The city received a very positive response from both residents and business owners. In the end, the program helped Santaquin inject nearly $100,000 back into the local economy through local businesses.

“More importantly,”

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Reeves stated, “these stimulus funds likely had a multiplying effect as most people chose to make larger purchases than what was covered by the coupons.” Reeves pointed out that the program has also likely helped many residents learn more about the great businesses in their own community.

The city hopes the practice of buying local will continue into the future.

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DECEMBER 2020

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SERVE DAILY

COVID relief funds Payson also mailed out coupons to residents.

Each household received five $10 coupons redeemable at participating local businesses.

Residents had the option of spending all the coupons in one place or using them to support five separate businesses.

If they spread the

coupons out across five businesses, they could enter to win one of seven checks worth $200 each. The city had more than 1,500 entries.

About 100 local businesses participated in the program, and the feedback was resoundingly positive. Kevin Stinson (with Payson

From Previous Page.

City Business Licenses and Development Services) headed the program.

Stinson visited several businesses throughout the program’s duration to see how everything was going.

Many employees expressed great excitement about the program and said they had

seen a lot of coupons come in.

They also reported greater revenue and a higher number of new customers. For some businesses, the coupon program helped them keep their doors open when they might not have been able to otherwise.

Residents also en-

joyed the program and expressed their appreciation to the city.

Stinson said, “We had many residents respond with letters and cards thanking us for helping them and our local businesses during these unique times.”

Due to the success and overwhelmingly positive feedback from

members of the community, Payson City is considering other ways it can continue encouraging residents to support local businesses.

The city is appreciative of the amazing local businesses that make Payson such a great place to live. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor).

Sub for Santa volunteers strive to bring joy to struggling families United Way’s Sub for Santa is working to make sure that families in Utah County are still able to enjoy the holidays.

With the worldwide pandemic, some families are

now in more need than ever.

And people are still looking for a way to serve.

For families who are looking for help, the application process has been adjusted to include safety precautions.

Applicants stay in their cars, and volunteers fill out their information on a handheld screen.

Volunteers can sponsor a family and are asked to provide a couple of items of

clothing, a toy, and a couple of books for each child.

They usually spend about $100-$125 per child. Sub for Santa for families, and Angel Tree for individuals, always need donations of either

gifts or money. Donations will be taken up to Dec. 23 for this year’s program. For more information on the Sub for Santa program, to apply for help or to donate, visit unitedwayuc.org.

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A Life of Service For Utah County Emergency Manager, a career as first responder is challenging and rewarding

By Shellie Peterson

Peter Quittner has lived in Santaquin with his wife and two children for 10 years, and he’s the kind of guy you want to have around during a disastrous event.

Quittner is the Utah County Emergency Manager and is responsible to plan for, respond to, and help the community recover from emergencies.

Quittner runs the Utah County Emergency Operations Center and has been with the Utah County Sheriff ’s Office for 20 years.

He is also part of the bomb squad, where he has served for 10 years. He previously served as a member of the SWAT team for eight years. Quittner was recently honored to be recognized

by Utah State as Emergency Manager of the Year.

Normally, Quittner spends much of his time preparing to respond to every type of emergency imaginable.

But this year, he keeps busy making sure the Emergency Operations Center has plenty of personal protective equipment to dole out to

various facilities scattered throughout Utah County.

Since March, the Spanish Fork emergency center has distributed more than $2 million worth of PPE supplies in response to the current pandemic.

For Quittner, the most challenging thing about his job is that he has to be trained and prepared for literally everything.

“Whether it’s training or equipment, it all boils down to the tools you have in your bag,” he said.

Despite its challenges, Quittner emphasized that being a first responder is highly rewarding as well.

He recalled that during his patrol days, he got called out to a case that involved the abduction of a little boy. The boy was found the next day, but Quittner was responsible for securing the crime scene until detectives could come and process it.

During his shift, a car approached the scene. Quittner stopped the driver per procedure. He questioned the driver and got a weird feeling about the situation.

It turned out he was right

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Courtesy photo

Peter Quittner spends his days making sure Utah County is ready for any disaster. to trust his intuition, as the investigation process revealed that the driver was the kidnapper and had come back to visit the scene.

Quittner said that after the abductor was taken into custody, between six and eight additional children came forward and said the abductor had tried to kidnap them as well.

“Knowing that I made a difference, a real impact, and this person was taken off the streets who was going to harm a lot more people was really rewarding,” he said.

Over the years, Quittner has worn a lot of different hats. He started his career in a jail, then worked patrol for several years, then joined the SWAT team and bomb

squad before becoming the Utah County Emergency Manager. He even spent some time as a firearms instructor.

But no matter what responsibilities he holds at any given time, he has dedicated his life to serving his community and making it a safer place. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor).

DECEMBER 2020

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SERVE DAILY

Local citizen makes a difference with small act of service

By Shellie Peterson

While I was browsing through social media recently, I saw a post that was a great example of how we can serve others in our daily lives. Kimberlee Quinn, a resident of Mona, noticed a random act of service happening in front of her at the Santaquin Dairy Queen and decided to snap a picture.

In her Facebook post, Quinn said, “Today at Dairy Queen there was a car that ran out of gas in the drive through lane.” She then related how Carson Ruiz, a Dairy Queen employee, went above and beyond to help push the car to the nearby gas station. Others

soon joined in and helped push the stranded driver to the gas station so she could fill up her empty tank.

Quinn said she knew of Ruiz before this incident occurred. “It was no surprise to me that he was out there helping someone,” she said.

“He is a great young man.

I think we all need to slow down and be willing to help others out just like Carson did.”

When I asked Ruiz about the experience, he said he could hear over the Dairy Queen headset that the person in the drive-through was in trouble. He didn’t think twice about jumping into action and headed outside to see how he could help.

The driver of the stranded vehicle was a mom with two kids who had no way to get her car to the gas station next door without the help of Ruiz and the other anonymous do-gooders.

I asked Ruiz why he decided to help the driver when no one would have expected him to do it. He responded, “These days we don’t look out for each other enough and we really need to.”

One of Ruiz’s favorite quotes is, “helping one person may not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person. That woman could have been stuck there for who knows how long if nobody would have helped her.

Photo by Kimberlee Quinn

Good Samaritans help push a stranded driver to the gas station.

As long as I made a difference in someone’s life, I can go to bed happy.”

Ruiz recently got a job as a 911 dispatcher. He explained

that he is thrilled to have the opportunity to change at least one person’s life each day. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor).

“We take as much of the hassle out of a repair as we can, helping with renting a vehicle and dealing with the insurance.

And your car is always detailed when you pick it up!”

8

DECEMBER 2020

SERVE DAILY

Community plans raffle to help family fighting cancer

By Shellie Peterson

Riley and Brittany Smith have always loved being involved in their community and helping out with coaching and umpiring kids’ baseball teams.

They have two boys and are beloved by those who know them. But this year, the community has a chance to give back in a big way.

Brittany Smith has been diagnosed with terminal adrenocortical carcinoma.

In the coming weeks and months, she is going to require treatments and surgery that will result in a significant financial burden.

To help make this burden easier for the Smith family to bear, C. R. Doors and Moulding, a local door shop based in Springville, built a custom playhouse to generate funds for the family.

Breanna Brown, a resident from Mona, used her painting skills to transform the playhouse into any kid’s dream Christmas gift.

According to Jeanne Lewis, a Nephi City-appointed event coordinator, the playhouse will be entered into a

Courtesy photos

A custom playhouse, donated by C.R. Doors and painted Breanna Brown of Mona, will be raffled off to benefit Brittany and Riley Smith.

Brittany is battling cancer.

raffle. Tickets will be just $5 each, or five tickets for $20.

A name will be chosen right before the city council meeting on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.

There are a couple of ways to enter the raffle.

Interested individuals can purchase their raffle tickets using Venmo. Send your

raffle ticket money to @ illuminatethenight, with your name and phone number in the comments. Or, if you wish to just donate money to the family, include the word “donation” in the comments. You can also visit (https://nephirec. activityreg.com/selectactivi-

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The raffle winner will go home with the playhouse,

and all of the money earned from the raffle will be donated to the Smith family.

Financial donations can also be made to the Smith family through their GoFundMe account.

All proceeds will go directly to the Smiths. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor).

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Tabitha’s Way Local food pantry is on a mission to make life a little easier for struggling families

By Shellie Peterson

H

unger is an unwanted visitor in many peoples’ homes this year. While most of us have recently enjoyed the bounties of Thanksgiving dinner, there are others among us who feel the constant pang of food depravation and wonder where their next meal will come from.

Wendy Osborne, the Executive Director of

Tabitha’s Way, seeks to make hunger—at least in our local communities—a thing of the past.

Tabitha’s Way is a local food pantry that was founded in 2010

by Wendy and Jody Osborne. It all began because Wendy Osborne felt inspired to open the charity and collect donations for the food insecure.

Tabitha’s Way offers temporary food assistance to help members

Volunteers sort through donations for people in need.

10

DECEMBER 2020

of the community get through tough times.

Today, there are two Tabitha’s Way locations—one in Spanish Fork and one in American Fork. Michael Carter and Al Switzler are co-founders of the American Fork pantry location.

The two food pantries are the primary components of Tabitha’s Way. The clothing bins are secondary, but do provide a funding source so more food can be purchased. There are many clothing donation bins scattered across Utah County. You’ve probably seen them before when you’ve been out and about.

The drop-off bins are for shoes and clothing items only.

It is important not to drop food in these bins because food has to be kept in the right conditions so it doesn’t go bad. This is especially true in the summertime. More importantly, some food items can ruin the clothing inside the bins.

Photos by Pete Hansen

The men and women of Tabitha’s Way devote their time and energy toward making hunger in the local community a thing of the past.

Osborne related how an entire bin full of clothing was once ruined by a well-meaning donor who dropped glass jars of spaghetti sauce into the bin. The jars broke and soiled the clothing items inside. To keep this from happening again, Osborne asks donors to please bring all food

items directly to one of the two food pantry locations.

Usually, donated clothing is not given directly to local families. Instead, it is resold and the money is put back into the feeding program, where it is desperately needed.

Tabitha’s Way has a partnership with local

buyers who also help provide free clothing.

For families who need clothing as well as food assistance, Tabitha’s Way does offer clothing vouchers.

The vouchers allow individuals and families to get the clothes they need for free.

Continued on Next Page.

SERVE DAILY This year, Tabitha’s Way is in desperate need of food donations.

Normally, approximately 80 percent of the food they receive comes form local sources. However, because of COVID-19, two of the organization’s biggest food drives were canceled.

In addition to this challenge, more than 100 smaller food drives were canceled this year. Prior to COVID-19, there were about 7,000 individuals per month who received food assistance from the organization.

This year, Osborne stated, the monthly number of food-insecure people is far greater. Each pantry distributes about two semi-truck loads of food per pantry per month.

“We do have a huge need. We’re asking for people to participate.

We do have some organized drives through local churches, so we want to encourage people to support that process,” Osborne said.

Local stakes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints may hold food drives that last up to a month.

Osborne encourages people to participate in them. She also invites people to drop food off directly at either food pantry location.

While Osborne stressed that she doesn’t want to exhaust donors, she would graciously accept regular donations from anyone who is in a position to provide them. The food pantries need

shelf-stable food items year-round. They also go through cereal quickly, and they’re in constant need of easyto-prepare items such as mac-and-cheese and ramen noodles.

Tabitha’s Way also accepts fresh produce, which is a great way to get rid of any excess items you harvest from your garden each year.

“You can also buy produce from the store,” Osborne said, “but it’s better to make a financial donation through the website because we have the ability to purchase 25 full meals with just a five-dollar donation.

It doesn’t matter how much you give. Some people give five dollars while others give twenty or more. Every donation, regardless of size, helps to feed families in the community and makes a difference.

Though almost every donation is appreciated, there may be one exception. “We always have a surplus of green beans, so please keep those,” Osborne said with a chuckle.

This year, families who would otherwise go hungry on Thanksgiving received traditional Thanksgiving dinners thanks to Tabitha’s Way. The two locations delivered more than 1,100 full Thanksgiving meals to families in need. They will also be delivering Christmas meals to local families, and you can help make it possible with your donation.

Tabitha’s Way has operated at full ca-

pacity throughout the current pandemic, since hunger never rests. The process for getting food is easy.

The only thing people need to do is drive up to either food pantry location with a picture ID and register in less than two minutes. The registration process can even be done online in advance to save time.

Masks must be worn to comply with current COVID-19 guidelines.

Those who would like more information about Tabitha’s Way are welcome to go to the organization’s website (https://tabithasway.org/contact/) and learn more. Interested individuals can even fill out a form online and volunteer their time, though there are some restrictions on who can volunteer because of COVID-19.

The Spanish Fork pantry is located at 45 East 100 North in Spanish Fork. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. On Tuesdays, the pantry offers extended evening hours from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Every second and fourth Saturday, the pantry opens from 10 a.m. – Noon.

The American Fork pantry is located at 920 East State Road, Suite K in American Fork. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

On Wednesdays, the pantry offers extended evening hours from 6 – 8 p.m. Every first and third Saturday, the pantry is open from 10 a.m. – Noon. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor.)

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Since the onset of the pandemic, families struggling with food insecurity have only multiplied.

DECEMBER 2020

11

SERVE DAILY

Soup in Hope of a Cure Project becomes crusade as local family battles cancer with hope and a nice bowl of soup

By Shellie Peterson

While the year 2020 has been a difficult one for many families, it revealed a particularly cruel surprise to the unsuspecting Peay family. Wendy and Wesley Peay never imagined when they tied the knot 20 years ago that they would one day be faced with a challenge no family should have

to endure.

Wendy and Wesley have known each other since high school but didn’t begin dating until Wesley returned from his mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They married in 2000 and added four children to their family over the years: Hailey (17), Riley (14), Blake (9), and Violet (6).

This year, they began a family project to deliver soup and bread to families who were stuck in quarantine due to COVID-19.

They didn’t know it at the time, but the soup-making project would soon turn into a fundraising project to cover mounting medical expenses.

Wendy began experiencing some trou-

bling symptoms at the beginning of the year, such as vertigo, facial numbness, and drastic weight loss.

After several failed attempts from doctors to diagnose the underlying cause of her symptoms, one doctor finally delivered the news that turned the Peay family’s world upside-down. It was cancer. Wendy was

Photo by Ashley Janae Photography

The Peay family.

diagnosed with Stage One Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, or DCIS. This type of cancer is nor-

mally aggressive and usually spreads to the lymph system before Continued on Next Page.

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Soup

From Previous Page.

found. Fortunately, Wendy’s case is out of the ordinary. Wendy’s primary surgeon said that Wendy’s case “perplexed her and many others.”

Wendy said she and her family feel blessed to be in the position they are in because they know it could be much worse. It is this spirit of positivity that has inspired the family to write a blog.

“This fight is not just mine, but our entire family’s as well,” Wendy said. “We felt as though we have a story to tell, in hope to inspire others in their

difficulties.”

The family’s first blog post is titled “Embracing the Storms.” It provides more information about how the Peay family dealt with the diagnosis, and what they are doing now to fight off an enemy they can’t see.

They encourage everyone to read and share the post, which can be found at: (https://pinkshoesgivemesuperpowers. blogspot.com/2020/11/ embracing-storms. html).

Wesley has always enjoyed cooking and eating great food. But

this year, he’s cooking for a much more personal reason.

After Wendy’s diagnosis, Wesley decided to start making soup and fresh homemade bread to help pay for his wife’s cancer treatments. That’s how the Soup from the Soul fundraiser was born.

The Peay family aims to serve up dinner “to a serious amount of people” through the end of the year. Wesley uses his culinary skills to create soul-warming soup, fresh-baked bread, and cookies for local families. His chicken noodle soup is

e ta t es o R We e’s Tir on A ny FREE!

a favorite menu item and is full of familiar flavors. He also throws in some carefully selected exotic spaces that make his soup far from ordinary.

Dinner pick-up and delivery is available from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for the areas of Payson, Santaquin, Spanish Fork, and Provo. Residents of Salt Lake Valley are also welcomed to come down to Utah County and pick up a hot meal if they choose. Wesley can even bring frozen soup up to the Salt Lake Valley area on the weekends or as demand

indicates.

Though the challenges won’t just go away, Wendy believes they can be overcome.

“They will be a lot easier to handle. You can do hard things!

Yes, I have cancer, but I know there isn’t really anything I can do but go through it.

So, I’m going to put on my pink galoshes and dance in the rain.

There is always joy in the journey!”

To learn more about the Soup From the Soul fundraiser and available menu items, visit (https://pinkshoesgivemesuperpow-

ers.blogspot.com/).

Then, email your order selections to PinkShoesGiveMeSuperPowers@outlook.com.

Please include your name, phone number, address, and pick-up or delivery preferences.

The Peay family is also accepting donations through GoFundMe and Venmo. The GoFundMe link can be found on their website, and Venmo donations can be made to @Wendy-Peay. If prompted to enter the last four digits of Wendy’s phone number, enter 2368. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor).

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The Story Behind the Jolly Old Elf

By Ed Helmick

The photograph at right is an example of prehistoric rock art found in Lower Nine Mile Canyon has been called the “Santa Claus Panel” and you can see why. A 20th Century archeologist came up with that name, it is someone’s cute name for this Fremont culture artwork created 800 years ago or more.

There is no evidence of a Santa Claus legend from the prehistoric canyon dwellers.

However, it does remind you of our modern fable of the jolly old man and his reindeer of the Christmas season and was he a real person?

Yes, Saint Nicholas was a

real person who lived from 270 to 343 AD. He was born to wealthy parents who died from a disease epidemic in the Greek village of Patara (now part of Turkey) when he was a young boy. He used his inheritance to help the poor and sick with gifts. Nickolas became a Bishop at an early age and was known for his generosity and love of children. Children started putting out stockings hoping to receive gifts. Over the course of many years he became everybody’s favorite Saint. When Saint Nickolas died on December 6, 343 AD a tradition of a feast day and gift giving in his honor was begun.

The name Santa Claus come

from Saint Nickolas’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas. The sleigh idea originated in Scandinavia with a jolly elf delivering gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. Many Christmas traditions were brought to North America by Dutch and German immigrants. The modern rendition of Santa Claus is the result of a Christmas story written by Clement Clark Moore for his three daughters titled “An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas” in 1822.

It was published as “The Night Before Christmas” by the New York’s Troy Sentinel on Dec. 23, 1823.

That story brought us Santa’s Sleigh arriving on roof tops by

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eight flying reindeer (reindeer are domesticated caribou). The modern- day image of Santa Claus was created in 1881 by cartoonist Thomas Nast and based on Moore’s writing.

Santa was rotund with a white beard in a bright red suit trimmed in fur for the North Pole cold. The ninth reindeer, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed

Reindeer” was the result of a 1939 book by Robert Lewis May. May’s brother-in-law adapted the story into a song recorded by Gene Autry that became the number one hit single Christmas week 1949.

Autry’s recording sold 2.5 million copies and eventually 25 million copies. (Helmick is a Serve Daily contributor.)

SERVE DAILY RECIPES

Christmas Bar Cookies offer all the goodness without all the fuss

By Angi Gibson

I love Christmas. The Gibson Home goes all out on Christmas. The porch is decorated, the house is decorated, the tree is decorated. I love Christmas!

But Christmas happens to be one of the busiest times of the year in our home as I’m sure it is in many of yours. So I’m learning to simplify.

I love Christmas goodies, especially cookies, but I simply don’t have enough time or sanity to cut out all of those cute shapes and decorate all of those fun cookie characters. Just give me the yummy stuff without all of the work!

So I’ve gathered together three of my favorite Christmas Bar Cookie recipes that deliver all of the goodness of Christmas Cookies without all of the work.

Gingerbread Bars ¼ Cup softened butter

¼ Cup white sugar ¾ Cups dark brown sugar 2 TBS plus 2tsp molasses 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 1 ¼ cups flour ½ tsp apple pie spice ½ tsp ginger 1 pinch salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 baking pan and set aside.

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and molasses. Add egg.

Mix dry ingredients and then add to wet ingredients.

Spread with greased fingers or greased spatula into baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Has a brownie like texture.

Eat plain or with frosting listed at the end of recipes.

Sugar Cookie Bars ¼ Cup softened butter 2 oz. softened cream cheese ½ Cup white sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp almond extract 1 egg

1 Cup plus 2 TBS flour 1 tsp cornstarch ½ tsp baking powder Pinch salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 baking pan and set aside.

Cream Butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla and almond extract and egg.

Mix dry ingredients and then add to wet ingredients.

Spread with greased fingers or greased spatula into baking pan. Bake for 22 minutes. Careful to not over bake or you will have a dry Sugar Cookie Bar. Frost with listed recipe at the end of the recipes. Sprinkle with decorator’s sugar or candy cane pieces.

Eggnog bars ½ Cup softened butter 1 Cup white sugar 1 egg ½ Cup eggnog 1 tsp rum extract 3 Cups flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt

½ tsp apple pie spice Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray 9x13 baking pan and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, eggnog and rum extract.

Mix dry ingredients and then add to we ingredients.

Spread with greased fingers or greased spatula into baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Careful not to over bake our bars will be dry. Top with the eggnog version of the frosting below and sprinkle toffee pieces on top.

Countertop safe frosting recipe and adaptations No dairy so countertop stable ½ Cup shortening ½ Cup softened margarine 1 ½ TBS cream cheese emulsion 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 ½ to 5 ½ Cups powdered sugar Whip shortening, margarine, cream

Photo by Angi Gibson

Christmas Bar Cookies bring the joy of the cookie without the cookie cutters.

My kids are all about the sweet, I however can hit major sugar overload pretty fast. If you are like me all of the above recipes can be done with no frosting, or a very thin layer of frosting, although the eggnog bars will have only a very slight eggnog flavor without the frosting.

Merry Christmas and enjoy some less stress baking!

(Gibson is a Serve Dai-

cheese emulsion and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar until smooth and spreadable, slightly thicker than store bought frosting.

For eggnog frosting reduce cream cheese emulsion to 1 TBS and add ¾ TBS eggnog extract.

If you haven’t used emulsions, they are a nice way to add additional flavoring without the alcohol bite that extracts give.

ly contributor.)

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SERVE DAILY LOCAL AUTHORS

New book explores the mysteries of Nine Mile Canyon Nine Mile Canyon is commonly known for its extensive concentration of prehistoric rock art with more than 10,000 images. It was also a major transportation route between the railroad in Price and the Uinta Basin in the late 1880s.

Homesteading and ranching in the canyon flourished in that period.

Nine Mile Canyon attracted hard working people and a few outlaws looking for opportunities. It was one of the last examples of the classic old west.

Until recently only four petroglyph sites were marked with signs along the 46-mile Nine Mile Canyon paved road leading to the famous “Great Hunt Panel.� In June of 2020, a couple more sites were marked with roadside signs. Hundreds of other rock art sites adjacent to or near the

road are left for discovery by those patient enough to slowly study the canyon walls. Nothing along the road explains or describes the fascinating pioneer history of the canyon.

The new book by Ed and Janice Helmick is intended to be a user-friendly guidebook to Nine Mile Canyon. It is in a mile post format with GPS references to hundreds of features in the canyon and four of its tributary canyons.

To incorporate the history of the canyon sixty-eight historical notes are woven into the mile post sections of the book. Eight people who were born and or raised in the canyon and were recipients of stories from their grandparents contributed to and reviewed the historical material in the book.

The prehistoric and historic fea-

tures of the canyon, plus some beautiful landscape photography are included in 218 images in the photo gallery section of the book.

Discover Nine Mile Canyon is for those wanting to learn more about this amazing place northeast of Price, Utah. The 184-page book with 218 color pictures sells for $29.95 and will only be available for sale locally during the month of December by mail order.

This would be a great book for anyone interested in the history of the state. Contact ed.helmick@gmail. com to order your book. During the month of December their will be no shipping charge.

Early 2021 the book will be distributed to book sellers and museums in the region. This is the second guidebook by the Helmicks. The first was

Discover Nine Mile Canyon A guidebook to the history of a major transportation route, ranching and homesteading, and prehistoric rock art

By Ed and Janice Helmick

a trail guide to 42 trails in the San Rafael Swell. The Helmicks are regular contributors to Serve Daily.

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A Fence of a Different Kind It took John Mecham 21 years and a lifetime of skill to complete his fence, one horseshoe at a time

By Melanie Mecham

John Lee Mecham has welded 15,147 horseshoes creating both panels and posts to complete a unique horseshoe fence and archway at his farm.

This fence is truly one of a kind and is made entirely of horseshoes. There are assorted styles and sizes of shoes, including draft, pony, mule, correctional, antique, and homemade shoes completing the fence.

At the age of 14, John began shoeing horses with great friend and mentor, Andy Borgeson.

John collected all of the used horseshoes to begin building a fence in the future.

Prior to being welded, each horseshoe had the nails removed. John began welding four foot by eight foot panels of horseshoes. Each panel holds a unique design; circles, flowers, rows, hearts, rainbows, and local brands.

Each panel is welded to either a post of horseshoes or an archway of horseshoes. The horseshoe fence took 21 years to complete.

When family, friends, and others began to learn of John’s horseshoe fence, many donated used horseshoes.

The horseshoes in John’s fence are a collection ranging from Wyoming to California, and Arizona to Canada. (Serve Daily submission.)

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Courtesy photo

John Mecham spent decades creating his intricate horseshoe fence.

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A Candle at Christmas in Memory of Departed Loved Ones Nineteen years ago, Brent and Reta Tischner of Salem started a tender tradition on Christmas Eve by inviting families or individuals to light a candle to place on the grave of a departed loved one.

The event began in the Salem Cemetery but quickly spread to Spanish Fork and all the surrounding communities.

Being able to do this simple gesture on Christmas Eve for a departed loved one has had a healing effect on families and anyone participating.

The event has become so popular that a visit to these local cemeteries are as if it’s Memorial Day, as the cars are constant, in and out of the gates.

Those participating have been witness to families surrounding graves, singing, praying, laughing and just feeling that connection with their loved one, celebrating their life in their absence.

The Dave and Mindi Menlove Family of Salem have been participating since

the recent death of their son and share the following: “The first Christmas without Tadd was one of the hardest things that our family has ever had to endure.

“There were a few things that happened our first Christmas that helped our family get through the holidays without our Taddy.

One was our loving family, and the other was the magical Christmas Eve we got to share with many other families who had lost their loved ones and laid them to rest in the Salem Cemetery.

We knew about the lighting of the candles in Salem on Christmas Eve, and had participated by lighting some of our own in the past.

Our first Christmas without Tadd put a whole new meaning of how beautiful The Salem Candles at the Cemetery really is.

“There is something about Christmas and not wanting our loved ones to be alone, and that doesn’t change just because they have passed away.

“We wanted Tadd to know

that we loved him and that we were thinking about him. We made him the cutest luminaries that said ‘We Love You Taddy.’

“That night, as our family gathered with all kinds of beautiful luminaries and candles, the feeling we got was indescribable. Not only did we feel peace, we felt like we were surrounded by love. Our Taddy was surrounded by hundreds of people and the most magical scenery.

“He was not alone at Christmas and neither were we. We were surrounded by love. Not only could you see it, we felt it, and nothing comforts you more than being embraced by the feeling of love.”

There is no set time or program at your cemetery.

Most cemetery gates remain open late to accommodate family gatherings.

“Anyone who would like to light a candle for a loved one on Christmas Eve is welcome to start a new tradition in your family this year. (Serve Daily submission.)

Believe There Is Good In The World!

Courtesy photo

Dave and Mindi Menlove embrace after lighting a candle in memory of their son.

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Admiral Plumbing selected business of the month Admiral Plumbing, Heating and Cooling has been named the Payson/Santaquin Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month.

Owners Mike and Kristi Birchett said they are excited to have been chosen for business of the month for

November.

“We want to thank all of our Payson and Santaquin area customers who voted for us.

“We love meeting people in the community as we visit homes to fix plumbing issues or get a furnace working properly. It’s

always a happy day when a customer gets to upgrade to endless hot water with a new tankless water heater, but we know having home maintenance and repairs done is not the usually the most fun thing to spend money on, especially when it

is unexpected.

“We try very hard to make sure the experience is as convenient, pleasant, and affordable as possible for our customers.

“Our goal is to build relationships of trust.

Most of our business comes from repeat cus-

tomers and referrals and we work to make every experience a happy one.

“We have been in business for 20 years and have loved serving this community and getting to know many of you,” the Birchett’s said.

Mike and Kristi Birchett

SCHOOL NEWS

Rees Elementary students set example and dig in to plant trees

By Lana Hiskey

Rees Eagles at Rees Elementary had the opportunity to learn more

about caring for their school and the community by planting three new trees.

Fourth through sixth-

grade students worked with TreeUtah, a non-profit organization dedicated to planting trees in October to do

just that.

They planted Honey Locusts and one Bosnian to beautify Rees’

two trees Pine cam-

pus. Students learned how to help trees grow and benefit the community.

When planting the

trees, students learned how to spread the roots, add nutrients to Continued on Next Page.

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SERVE DAILY TEACHERS OF THE MONTH

Millet, Warren selected as ALA teachers of the month

By Stephanie Chingas

American leadership Academy awarded the December Teacher of the Month to the high school Drama teacher, Sandra Millet, and the Elementary second grade teacher, Sarah Warren.

Sarah Warren is originally from a small town outside of Nashville, Tenn. She considers herself to be a southern girl at heart.

Fluffy biscuits, good manners, and hospital-

ity are things she loves and treasures.

After completing her undergraduate degree at Tennessee Technological University, she relocated to Utah and promptly married the love of her life, Tad. They have three children who all attend ALA. “I love our school; I love the sense of community and the values promoted in our school culture. ALA is a wonderful place to learn and grow.”

Sandra Millet

Sarah Warren

This is Warren’s third year teaching full time.

Teaching brings her a sense of excitement and delight.

“I realize that our classroom can be a powerful place for your children. They come to school to work, study,

and produce - like in an adult workplace.

ALA is where children not only acquire knowledge but also learn skills and develop values to help them grow into their fullest potential.”

Sandra Millet has been teaching at ALA for five years. She currently teaches French 1-4, Drama 1-4, Improv and Film. She attended BYU for both her bachelor’s and master’s degree.

When asked what

Millet loves about ALA, she responded, “I love the smallness of the school. We can all share the same inside jokes.

“I love the students, who are mostly happy to come to school each day, even though they would deny it if you ask them.

“And I love our amazing Fine Arts department, where incredibly talented artists pour their time and energy into our students.”

(Serve Daily submission.)

Nebo students recognize veterans in a unique way during pandemic

By Lana Hiskey

The Nebo School District’s staff and students celebrated our local Veterans in an unusual way this year because of the pandemic.

Principal Shanna

Walker, at Park View Elementary, came up with this idea when she realized there would be no assemblies.

“The idea was born because it is important that students gain an appreciation for

those who have made it possible for our communities to enjoy our country’s rights and liberties,” said Walker. “Once word got out, the other schools wanted to be involved.

It was a group effort

between the schools, Payson City, police officers, and fire department.” Shanna said.

“I contacted the police and fire departments to see if this was possible. They were so supportive and excited

that we would provide this celebration for the Veterans in our community.”

“The veterans, from Springville to Goshen, rode in 55 vehicles starting at Park View Elementary.

Many

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It was all I could do to hold back the tears,” Walker said.

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the soil, shovel dirt, water the trees, and mulch the base of each tree.

These trees are not only will be used by teachers at Rees to teach about the water cycle, scientific observations, ecosystems, and other curriculum-based topics.

Each class will have their own “class” tree to monitor and take care of. (Serve Daily submission.)

SERVE DAILY SCHOOL NEWS

Students in Nebo program start preparing for Thanksgiving in July

By Lana Hiskey

The thoughts of purchasing a turkey to prepare for Thanksgiving do not cross most of our minds until days before Thanksgiving.

However, for Nebo students, participating in the Utah State Junior Turkey Program, the preparation of a turkey for Thanksgiving begins in July.

Nebo consistently produces around 900 turkeys of the state total for the Utah State Junior Turkey Program. This is just one

program under Future Farmers of America and the Career Technology Education.

Nebo students provided turkeys for the police department, fire department, Nebo Maintenance Department, and the Nebo School Board over the years.

When the Utah County 4-H provided more than 300 Thanksgiving meals to needy families, Nebo students donated the turkeys for those dinners.

All these turkeys are raised and processed by

Nebo students and advisors.

Brady Orton, a 2020 Spanish Fork High School graduate, said that FFA teaches kids responsibility.

Students have to come and feed and water the animals, no matter if it is raining, snowing, or hailing.

FFA is so broad; there’s something literally for any youth stated Chaleesa Warren, an FFA advisor for Spanish Fork High School and animal science teacher at Spanish Fork Junior High.

Kids can be involved whether they live in an apartment or on a farm.

There are many “thanks” to those that make this program possible, including: J. Merrill Hallam, Nebo CTE Specialist, who has the vision to create and maintain this program across the district.

Alan Ashton, Nebo CTE Coordinator, who provides transporta-

Nebo students over the years have been recognized nationally: Ashley Olsen and Russell Mangelson won the National Agri-Science Fair last year with their Omega-3 Study.

Other Nebo students have won or placed in the top three of the National Science Fair with turkey research for numerous years. (Serve Daily submission.)

tion, feed ingredients, and facilities.

The teachers who work through the summer and provide support to so many Nebo students.

The Nebo FFA programs collaborate closely with Utah State University Extension Program on research of similar interests, and the Nebo students share the data with other schools.

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SERVE DAILY VIEWPOINT

It’s Possible to Have Little, but Still Have it All

By Shellie Peterson

Winter is a time that stirs up memories for me. I often look back at my childhood with the new perspective of a grown-up who sometimes gets caught up in worldly, unimportant things.

Each time I think back to life as a child, I am reminded that you can have practically nothing, but still have everything in the world.

It was a cold winter morning. It had taken me a few minutes to work up enough courage to throw the mountain of covers off my gangly body and touch my bare feet to the chilly carpet.

The wood-burning stove was located on the opposite end of the house, which meant that the bedroom I shared with my five sisters was icebox cold every winter morning. Mother made sure we had plenty of blankets to keep us well-insulated during the night. And, because we had to sleep two-per-bed, we always had another person’s body heat to keep us warm.

We never had the courage to leave our cocoons of warmth until we could hear Dad in the living room, tossing slices of wood into the fire and crumpling up old pieces of newspaper to use as kindling. It was only when we heard these unmis-

takable sounds of warmth that we would courageously dart from our beds to the living room.

We had to make it past the freezing linoleum-floored kitchen first.

That was daunting. But as soon as our feet hit the carpet of the hallway, we knew we were moments away from blissful, bone-warming heat.

As a child, I never thought about the steel-gripped cold my father had to face every morning in order to warm the house for the rest of us. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized he was showing us how much he loved us by carefully nursing that tiny fire to health day after day.

As our shivering bodies soaked up the heat that leaked from the smooth dark surface of the stove, we could almost feel tendrils of warmth weaving through our tangled hair and filling up the cold emptiness of the room.

We didn’t have much, but we hardly knew it. We had parents who loved us, we had laughter, and we had each other. In reality, we had it all.

All the while, the snow lay in silent, soft bundles outside our living room window and marveled at the simple joy radiating from that tiny home. (Peterson is a Serve Daily contributor.)

This Year, More Than Ever, Reminds Us of the Need to Help Our Neighbors

By Angi Gibson

When Christmas time comes, there seems to be an overall softening that happens through the world.

The Holiday season seems to remind us of those we care about, and those around us who may be without.

This year, more than most years, the need is even greater for us to help our neighbors.

Few of us have not been affected by a pandemic that doesn’t seem to care it is the holiday season, and with more and more people out of work or on reduced hours, the need to help take care of our neighbors applies more this year than any other.

Let’s keep our food banks stocked, and our neighbors watched over. Be aware of those around you that you may not know are out of

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work or struggling to get over being ill. Let’s give where we can and share the holiday spirit.

Below are some of the less typical charities in Utah that are doing so much good this holiday season. Check them out and see if they are a right fit for you.

Warm the Soles, through Nebo Credit Union is a holiday charity in which they raise monetary donations to provide new shoes for those children in the Nebo School District without.

In 2019 through Warm the Soles, Nebo Credit Union was able to donate 1,000 pairs of shoes. If you are a member of Nebo Credit Union and you have a loan through them you can defer one loan payment with a donation of $40. But if you are not a member of Nebo Credit Union, don’t let this dissuade you, anyone can make a one-time donation.

Just follow this link https:// nebocreditunion.org/wts KSL’s Quarters for Christmas is a charity which provides warm clothing for hundreds of children in the state of Utah. Every year every penny donated goes to Utah’s kids in need to ensure they are warm during the winter months and with a pandemic putting so many out of work in our state, the need is greater than ever for Utah’s children to be kept warm and healthy. If you are interested in donating to KSL’s Quarters for Christmas just go to this link https://bonneville-charitable.secure.force.com/giving/ QuartersForChristmas Utah Foster Care Giving Tree Program assures that every child in the Utah Foster Care Giving Tree Program receives the gifts for Christmas that they are wishing for.

Each child is granted three

wishes up to a certain dollar amount and when Christmas morning comes, they are guaranteed they get a gift they had actually wished for instead of what has been randomly donated. If this is a charity you are interested in giving to go to this link: https://utahfostercare.org/ blog/holiday-giving/ Did you know there are approximately 65,000 refugees living in the state of Utah? Neither did I until a friend told me about the Utah Refugee Connection.

Utah in general has a generous culture of service and giving and I can’t think of a better way to give this holiday season than to a refugee family that is working so hard to make a new life for themselves in our beautiful state.

If you would like to help a refugee family just follow this link https://serverefugees.org/give/. There are

options to donate grocery cards or gas card, presents, a warm blanket, or Christmas for a whole family.

And of course Tabitha’s Way. Did you know they are able to provide food for a family of four for one month for around $70? And your local Tabitha’s Way is just right around the corner at in Spanish Fork. With concerns of COVID-19 safety the best way to donate to Tabitha’s Way is to go to this link https://tabithaswaysouth.org/donate/ COVID-19 may have changed how we serve and provide for those struggling around us.

We may not be able to be in our neighbors’ homes sharing our holiday cheer but with the blessing of technology we can still have our generosity reaching out to the families in our communities. (Gibson is a Serve Daily contributor.)

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The Twelve Days of Good Christmas

By Joe Capell

Is it really the most wonderful time of the year?

Yes! Here are a few reasons why: 12. Receiving gifts – I know, we’re bad people if all we care about is getting presents. Still, it’s a fun feeling to unwrap a gift knowing that someone cared enough to get you something.

11. Giving gifts – There’s nothing quite like the feeling of giving something to someone else and seeing the happiness that it brings them (even if it’s just a gift card, some people

really like gift cards.)

10. Bells – Usually, bells are loud and annoying; they’re used for letting us know when we are tardy.

But at Christmas, they’re jingly, happy, and bring joy to the world.

9. Christmas carols – Sure, there are some Christmas songs that annoy us (talking about you, “Santa Baby”) but there are many songs we enjoy hearing and singing. Who doesn’t love a good “Hallelujah” now and then?

8. Treats – Cookies, fudge, candy canes, chocolates, or fruitcake, there’s some kind of treat for everyone to enjoy. (Okay, probably not fruitcake.)

7. People are nicer – People are nicer at Christmas. Is it because they are genuinely nice, or just don’t want to get on the naughty list?

Either way, it’s a good thing.

6. Christmas lights – As long as I don’t have to climb up on the roof, I love Christmas lights! Bright and blinky and colorful!

5. Eggnog – Everyone loves the thick deliciousness of eggnog!

(Okay, not everyone. Some people are wrong.)

4. Spending time with family – It may be more difficult this year but spending time with extended family (even if it’s just over Zoom) is always worth it.

3. Time off from work – It’s nice to have time off work to be with family and celebrate Christmas!

(Yes, there are some who still must work on Christmas. Here’s a shout out to the police/fire/hospital workers, and all others who have to work on Christmas.) For most of us,

though, it’s great to leave the worries of work behind for one day.

2. Children’s smiles – There’s nothing as wonderfully contagious as a smile on a child! Whether they’re playing with a new toy, or happy to see Grammy and PopPop, the joy of a child’s smile is as good as it gets.

(I wish I still got excited enough about things that I’d jump up and down like a little kid.)

1. The birth of Jesus – There is a reason we celebrate this season, and it’s not reindeer, snowmen, or Santa.

We celebrate because a child was born; a child who would grow up to show and teach us how we should live.

That’s a pretty good thing.

Merry Christmas! (Capell is a Serve Daily contributor.)

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Giving Brings the Holiday Spirit, Even During a Pandemic

By Jenniferr Durrant

It’s hard to feel the holiday spirit when the Centers for Disease Control say there’s no safe way to hold a holiday gathering and when the governor tells you not to socialize with anyone outside of your household.

So, you can’t have a party or a big holiday meal, you shouldn’t meet a big group of friends at a restaurant and going to crowded areas is probably a bad idea.

You still can spread holiday cheer, though—by giving. Volunteering and donating are two easy ways to make yourself feel good while also helping your fellow humans and the world around you.

In a study published in

March 2020 in the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers found that volunteering is associated with higher levels of well-being as well as a positive change in well-being.

There are plenty of other studies showing the health benefits to volunteering, too, including less depression, reduced stress, and longer lives.

So how can you spread charitable holiday cheer this year? Here are some ideas.

Take Advantage of Matching or Rewards Programs.

You don’t have to write a check to give much-needed charitable donations. Many businesses make giving easy with matching or rewards programs.

The amount you end up

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donating may be small, but every single dollar counts!

Places you often frequent or order from like Smith’s, Amazon Smile and Macey’s all donate a portion of your purchase to a charity of your choice.

Set a Regular Volunteer Date.

We’re in a pandemic, but we still need volunteers to help clients at our food bank and pantry locations. Volunteers usually help stock shelves and assist clients.

Because of COVID-19, we require all volunteers, staff, and clients to wear a mask while inside our facilities.

Also, because of gathering and social distancing restrictions, we can’t accept large groups of volunteers at this time.

If you’d like to set up a regular volunteer date, contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@ communityactionuc.org or (801) 691-5220.

Earmark Donations.

There won’t be any fun vending machines for making holiday donations this year, but you can still earmark gifts to Community Action Services and Food Bank any day, any time, through the donor button on our website.

Host Your Own Drive.

Does your school host an annual food drive?

If it doesn’t, it’s time to start! We have all the information you need to get started on our Community Action Services website at www.communityactionuc.

org/hosting-a-food-drive.

We’ll even deliver and pick up your food barrels to make gathering donations simple.

If you’re interested in hosting another kind of donation drive, then collect items for some of our specialty kits. We provide meals for children in need to take home on weekends and hygiene, birthday, homeless, and back-to-school kits.

Don’t forget to set a goal before you get started!

Don’t let social distancing or event restrictions stop you and your family from fully enjoying all your holiday giving traditions.

Get creative and find new ways to spread some extra holiday spirit. (Serve Daily submission.)

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