Rotary Club of New Braunfels recently completed their newest service project, Making Spirits Bright – a holiday giving program that provided Christmas gifts and meals to local families in need.
On November 16th and 23rd, club members signed-up to sponsor a child and selected them from the Making Spirits Bright Giving Tree. Each child was allowed to ask for one gift that was a need, such as clothes or toiletries, and one gift that was a want. Other club members opted to sponsor a family Christmas dinner. And some members sponsored both, or gave cash to be used towards the Making Spirits Bright project supplies and lunch.

On December 14th, the club held it's first ever Making Spirits Bright Ugly Sweater Wrappin' Party which also served as the club's annual Christmas party. Members brought their purchased gifts and wrapped them at provided wrapping stations while enjoying lunch, beverages, libations, an ugly sweater competition, and Christmas Karaoke. The family Christmas meal boxes were also sorted and filled with all the fixins needed for a full Christmas meal to feed the entire family.

And, on December 21st the Making Spirits Bright Lunch and Christmas Program was held. The 36 adopted families and their children joined club members for a delicious Christmas lunch, complete with live music by local recording artists Zack Walther, and pictures with Santa. At the conclusion of the lunch, the children received their gifts, the families received their Christmas dinner boxes, complete with a smoked turkey, and each family was also given a special Christmas table centerpiece for their meal. Santa photos will be set into custom photo jackets and sent to the children as a keepsake.

This new Rotary Club of New Braunfels tradition will no doubt be the highlight of the holiday season for many years to come.