For the seventh year in a row, Holiday With a Hero is seeking donations to bring its coffers up from nil to $30,000, so 300 homeless Carson City students can have $100 to spend on presents to sit beneath their Christmas trees this year.The children, who range in age from elementary to high school age students, often buy necessities for their family members and not items for themselves, Carson City Sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Gonzalez said.“They don’t usually buy stuff for themselves,” he said. “It opens a dialogue with the kids.”Shopping occurs Dec. 13 and 14. Children are taken to shop with first responders, members of the military and heroes of all stripes.“The high school kids really open up to the military,” he said.The community is the only way the program continues to prosper, Gonzalez said.“It’s only possible because of the generosity of this community. Period,” Gonzalez said. “We see the same citizens who come together and push this through” to the funding goal.Last year, Holiday With a Hero provided gift cards to 287 students. The number is expected to rise to 300 students this year, making a funding goal of $30,000.The students are taken to Walmart with their hero to shop and then are treated to a free lunch from McDonalds.Checks need to be made payable to “Holiday with a Hero” and donations can be mailed to:• PO Box 2790, Carson City, 89702• They can be taken to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office at 911 E. Musser St. • They can be made at Bank of the West at 2976 N. Carson Street under Account No. 025761072.• The tax identification number is 80-0763632.
