Officials who work with local foster care children are asking for the community's help in playing Santa Claus for those who might otherwise do without.
The 36th Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office and Chartwells food service are hosting a fundraiser dinner from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Poplar Bluff High School. Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are $7 for the meal of chicken or roast beef, side dishes and a dessert. 300 tickets available and can be purchased at the juvenile office, which is located on the second floor of 614 Lindsey. The building is located across from R.W. Huntington Pool.
All $7 will got toward the purchase of Christmas presents for Butler and Ripley county children in state custody, said Lisa Wilson, deputy juvenile officer.
More than 280 children from the two counties are currently being taken care of by foster families, Wilson explained.
"Foster parents don't get a large amount, just enough to maintain monthly necessities, so when Christmas time comes around, there's not a whole lot they can go and buy," she said.
This is the largest and last fundraiser of the year for the annual foster care Christmas party, said Wilson. The Christmas party is held in conjunction with Westwood Baptist Church, which begins purchasing gifts in November.
Chartwells provides the food and manpower for Tuesday's fundraiser, so all of the proceeds can go to the children, Wilson said.
The meal will be held at the high school cafeteria, on Oak Grove Road.
Raffle tickets can also be purchased the night of the event for $1 each, or six for $5. Raffle items will include gift certificates to local restaurants, gift baskets, a television, a child's recliner, Poplar Bluff Mules T-shirts and other items.
The money raised will help provide Christmas dinner, gifts, games and other activities. Children also will get to meet Santa Claus and have pictures taken, some for the first time.
The annual party brings together siblings who may be in separate foster homes, and offers a night of fun for the children, Wilson said.
"We just think the kids have gone through such turmoil and their life changing, their placement, some kids have even had to change schools, that this is something fun for them," she said.
Juvenile and children's division workers have seen the number of youth they serve increase in recent years.
Two additional fulltime juvenile officers have been added to the office to help with the higher case load, according to chief juvenile officer Shonda Hill. The office had four fulltime officers previously.
"It's the drugs in our community, it really is," said Hill. "Nine times out of 10, the removal is drug related. Most of the time it's methamphetamine."
The number of children in care fluctuates and has been as high as 400 in recent years.
The 36th Judicial Circuit serves both Ripley and Butler counties.
Juvenile workers would also like to be able to maintain a fund throughout the year to help foster families pay for other needs, such as the purchase of equipment to allow a child to play a sport or other extra curricular activity.
For more information, contact Wilson at 573-686-8054, ext. 0.