Eagles members spread holiday cheer to local residents

The Fraternal Order of Eagles, Ritzville Aerie No. 2739 and its Auxiliary honored the Christmas season with community service during the month of December.

Each year the organization selects a Christmas Family and presents them with gifts and food certificates to help make the holiday just a little brighter.

Auxiliary members Peggy Crossler and Sandy Tracy greeted the Aerie’s Christmas Family with huge bags of gifts and a $75 gift certificate to Harvest Foods.

This year’s Christmas Family was Kenny and Terri Katsel and their two granddaughters, Nikkadoh, 3, and Natalie, 5.

This year’s holiday efforts were expanded as members of the Auxiliary raised additional funds to purchase fuzzy, warm blankets for every resident of East Adams Care Center.

A total of 24 residents were given blankets during the care center’s annual Christmas party.

Most of the proceeds for the community service project were collected from the Sunday breakfasts served at the Aerie. Each Sunday a pair of volunteer cooks donate their time to prepare the meal from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.