Native families struggling to meet daily essential needs received community care this week via the ON Financial Assistance Office’s Tree of Gifts, which facilitated holiday gifts for sixty-two children in Osage County. Donations came from the Osage Casino workforce, Osage Nation employees, elected officials, and Osage Nation citizens living outside of Oklahoma, such as Dave Holloway from Texas, who has supported the tree each year since its inception in 2015.
The tree was started eight years ago to help families the ON Financial Assistance office works with, who Director Andrea Kemble said are unlikely to have Christmas money. “We started the tree to help these families enjoy the holidays, as well. The project has expanded to other members of the Osage community,” she said. Requirements to participate are parents or guardians must be Native, reside in Osage County, and submit wish lists for children who are 12 years old or younger.
“We used to do up to 18 years old,” said Amber Price, who administers the program. “Teenagers are harder to shop for, and there were so many ornaments left on the tree.”
She identifies more as head “Grinch” than Santa or elf, preferring that association because after two months of excited organizing she is fatigued by delivery day. Decoration of the tree begins in November when parents and guardians come into the office to complete Christmas ornaments listing children’s wishes, and then volunteers come in to choose a wish list to take shopping with them. Once gifts return to the office, Financial Assistance wraps them and begins to organize delivery across the county, which culminated on Dec. 21-22.
Tis the Season for Giving
On the morning of Dec. 21 at 10 a.m., Price was bustling around the Financial Assistance office in a heather gray sweatshirt that read “Merry Christmas,” sorting bags of gifts and checking that each child’s gifts matched their wish list. “We have at least seven gifts per child,” she said and estimates that 50 participants bought and donated gifts this year. There were a dozen children’s ornaments left on the tree, which her team matched with donations from the Osage Casino toy drive.
Kenneth “KC” Bills joined Price to help make home deliveries in Pawhuska, Hominy and Fairfax on Dec. 22, then they traveled to Sand Springs, Sperry and Skiatook, making deliveries that same day. Kemble said families are always grateful, and the team receives many thanks, and sometimes emotional responses when delivering gifts. Some recipients gave gifts in return, like an elder in Pawhuska who sent back banana bread for the office.
At each carload back at the office, the team carried out more Bikes, Barbies, and Legos. One sparkly red package wrapped like a large piece of candy read “Axe deodorant.” A busy hand removed the sticky note label, and the package went into its delivery bag. Last year, Price said the most popular gift was Squishmellows. She walked to the back of the office to get a box full of brown paper bags tied up with ribbon. “These have Cuties in them,” she said.
A box of Casey’s pizza sat behind the front desk—morning fuel for the team as they moved all the presents out of the office, which numbered nearly 500 in total. Osage Nation employees volunteer to help wrap and deliver, too, and Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear arrived at the office mid-morning for a photo opp. He chatted with Timmy Lookout as they posed on bikes in front of the tree, and the chief popped a wheelie. After things settled, everyone got back to organizing gifts, all of which would be delivered before the end of the day on Dec. 22.
Price and Bills headed out in a black SUV, recalling memories of their experiences near different stops as they went. At one home, with dogs in the yard, Bills said, “Thing about being out here is ya’ll might just get to see how fast this guy is,” he said, and recalled being bit by a “rez dog” at about nine years old. Price laughed.
Bills emphasized the program is not only about receiving but also about giving. He said the less visible nature of giving in the Tree of Gifts program provides opportunities to folks who take great joy in helping out but don’t want to do so in front of everyone.
“Some people don’t want to be seen,” he said. “And some people don’t have kids anymore, so they like shopping for’em. It’s a way for everyone to have that big Christmas experience.”
At one stop, where two sick kids were recovering from winter ailments, a little one awoke from a nap to whisper “Merry Christmas,” and thank Price and Bills.
Another home was empty, so they made a plan to return later, and at the next house, a parent came out to meet Price as she rolled a tricycle up.
“Are the kids home?” asked Price.
“Yes.”
“Want to put this anywhere in particular?” Price asked.
“Yes. Here, take it that way,” said the parent, directing Price around the garage.
“It’s been a week since he got his tonsils out,” said the parent.
“Aw … ” said Price.
They exchanged their thank you’s and holiday greetings and headed back out to the car, where deliveries would continue until each child received their seven presents.
“At least seven,” said Price. “At least.”
It will be a big Christmas experience, indeed.
