The Friday Flyer • December 22, 2017

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 22, 2017
Choraleers wrap up season with Christmas Concert Pg. A4
A Christmas tree welcomes the family to their new home.
The motorhome was stocked with Christmas stockings and presents, donated by various members of Canyon Lake Community Church, before presenting it to the family.
CL Chamber seeks nominations from community Pg. A11
Erosion Repair Project begins at main causeway Pg. A13
Giving a home, receiving joy
Over eight centuries ago, Saint Fran- cis of Assisi quietly spoke these words: “For it is in giving that we receive.” Throughout these hundreds of years, this thought has permeated the minds of many giving souls, especially at Christ- mas time.
There are many groups that prac- tice the “Christmas Spirit of Giving” in Canyon Lake. Gifts are provided for those who have special needs and lack the funding to provide for those needs. There are other groups that provide monetary gifts to help others that find themselves unable to meet their needs at this Christmas season.
The past few weeks, three Canyon Lake groups have been busy making plans and provisions for a family to have a blessed Christmas. One such group is Helping Hands, led by Canyon Lake resident Robert Sasser. Helping Hands strives to meet the needs of the home- less, elderly and disabled by providing food, counseling and access to available services, and at times, household service needs.
Several weeks ago, Helping Hands was made aware of a Lake Elsinore family of three, a grandmother and her
two grandchildren, in need of a home. At that same time, Helping Hands was gifted with a motorhome the size suit- able for a family of three.
Immediately, two groups from Can- yon Lake swung into action.
The first to realize the need for ser- vice was Canyon Lake Community Church’s youth groups, Chaos (grades 6 through-8 and APEX (grades 9 through 12).
The students, under the direction of PastorJayFarwell,wereinvolvedintwo aspects of helping with the motorhome. First, they cleaned the entire motorhome inside and out. Anything that could be seen got scrubbed down and worked on. Even the carpets inside were washed.
The second aspect of working on the motorhome was stocking the cabinets with food. Two teams of students with adult chaperones went into neighbor- hoods to go door to door collecting non- perishable food items. The youth group wanted to put as much food in the mo- torhome as possible.
“The students learned that they are capable of doing something. Many
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Community members tour the motorhome before it's presented to a local family in need at private presentation.
PHOTO BY PAT VAN DYKE PHOTO BY PAT VAN DYKE
PHOTO BY PAT VAN DYKE