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Show Donations needed for training school Christmas Christmas trees and Christmas gifts are needed for residents at the Utah State Training School. Lynda Hiatt, Volunteer Director at the school, says 35 Christmas trees are needed at the facility in order to provide a tree for each of t),e school's families (residents reside in family settings in the cottages at the school). "Each family likes their own tree, if possible," Mrs. Hiatt said, and "this year we haven't been able to obtain enough trees to provide this " Anyone who would like to donate a tree may do so by contacting the scchool. Mrs. Hiatt added all trees must be fire proofed in order to meet safety codes. Also needed are toys, games, perfurmes, cosmetics, and clothing items for Santa's Shop at the school. Wanda Durrant, director of the shop, said, each resident of the school is given the opportunity to come into Santa's shop and pick out an item he or she would like to find under the Christmas tree. The item is then set aside with the name on it and later wrapped to await "Santa" picking it up and placing it under the tree for Christmas morning. "We are already out of toys and items for boys," she said. Also desperately needed are "dolls, dolls and more dolls," Mrs. Durrant said. She said any donations for the shop will be appreciated, but requested they be new or in good repair. It is beginning to look like Christmas on the hill, however, with the placing of some 40,000 miniature Christmas lights placed on buildings, trees and shrubs on the campus. These were turned on for the season Dec. 5. Building decorations are also going up, adding to the festive at-mosphre at-mosphre at the school. The annual Christmas Pageant -this year entitled "The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus" will be presented beginning tonight and continuing through Friday evening, Dec. 16. Open to the public, it will begin at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. There is no admission charge. Over 200 residents plus 20 volunteer students from Barratt Elementary School will take part in the production. Members of the Mental Retardation Retar-dation Association of Utah (MRAU) plan to stuff stockings Dec. 17 to make sure every resident has one under the Christmas tree; and on Dec. 19 and 20, community groups are invited to "come-a-caroling" in the residential buildings on campus. Refreshments will be served by the residents and building staff. Jeanne Blackburn, Volunteer Coordinator, said any community group or family is invited to participate par-ticipate in this activity. |