By Jennifer Theurer
Every child should feel the magic of seeing gifts under the tree on Christmas morning and the Farm Bureau Insurance office in Clay Center is trying to make that possible through Operation E.L.F.
Account Executive Renee Langvardt says there are 140 Clay County kids in need of some Christmas wonder this year and people are welcome to choose a child to shop for from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Wrapped gifts are due back at the office by December 17 so there’s time to distribute them before the big day.
“One of my favorite things really is when parents bring their kids in and have the kids pick out who they want to shop for,” Langvardt said. “That it’s become this tradition where they go, and they spend time together and they think about these kids that they’re purchasing gifts for.”
She has also seen groups who work in the same office come in and adopt a whole family of kids.
“It’s just like this process of giving and sharing and loving and extending community and fellowship with our fellow Clay Countians,” she said.
She also invites people to stop by the Farm Bureau office December 17 to see all the presents gathered in one spot.
“It looks like Santa’s workshop in our meeting room,” she said. “To me [the gifts] represent little hearts that need Christmas cheer.”
