The annual Santa Night fundraising effort brought in $12,500 in 2006, and the goal was to double that in 2007. Through the successful first-edition Santa Night CD, the black-tie affair in November, many corporate sponsorships and public donations, the singing Santas raised just under $30,000 in 2007.

With the money, the Clinton County Christmas Bureau supplied holiday gifts to 5,000 children locally; Santa Night money bought them everything they asked for. In addition to the toys and clothes that these children received, the Christmas Bureau supplied grocery-store food vouchers for 2,500 families; Santa Night cut a check for $10,000 to cover that.

Organizers are already getting geared up for Santa Night 2008 and are always looking to add new Santas and Elves to the bus; the date will be Friday, Dec. 12, 2008.

Students from Seton Academy performed good deeds for the holidays.

Grade 3 students from Miss Bleeker's and Mrs. Reynolds's classes sold tickets on two hand-made quilts. The money was used to buy presents for a family for Christmas. The students, accompanied by teachers and parents, shopped for these presents at the mall. They then wrapped and labeled them.

Also, the staff became aware of a needy family and provided gifts for all four members of the family.

The students were asked to pick a toy they really liked and could give to another child to enjoy. These were collected, wrapped and labeled by the students, to be shared in the good works of Birthright, to assist local families.

Handmade "pop-up" Christmas cards were made by the fourth-graders. These were sent to the elderly Sisters of Mercy living in an assisted-living facility in Worcester, Mass.

In early November, a group of students, a teacher and some parents visited homes of elderly people to rake leaves and prepare yards for winter. They worked in conjunction with the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity and, though the students were tired, they provided a needed service to several people in the community, according to Sister Brian Marie Latour.

Between Dec. 10 and 14, the Saranac Lake campus of North Country Community College Student Government Association and the NCCC Association Massage Therapy Club joined forces to collect toys for the Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers.

North Country Assistant Director of Campus and Student Life Daniel Heims noted that, "Our students, faculty and staff generously contributed to our efforts and helped us to have a successful toy drive. We would like to thank everyone who participated in this event. This is an opportunity for us to give back to the community in a positive way." Heims added that boxes were set out all over the North Country campus to collect donations in order "to do our part in making sure that everyone's holidays can become a reality."

Four boxes of toys were collected, and the Massage Therapy Club made a monetary donation to the Saranac Lake Holiday Helpers. The North Country participants "really opened their hearts in the spirit of giving," said Heims.

The Rotary Club of AuSable Valley held a drive to collect food for two local food shelves: one in AuSable Forks and one in Wilmington. The club's 14 members brought food items each week to the meetings, collecting 312 pounds.

Northeastern Clinton High School students were generous this holiday season.