TORRINGTON – Points West Community Bank is continuing its tradition of hosting a sharing tree to help those in need. 

Since 2015, Points West has partnered with Diversified Services Inc. (DSI) to provide its clients with items on their wish lists.

Lauren Correa, who is in charge of the project for the first time, said there is a real need to help DSI during the holiday season. 

“With government funding and things changing its our way of helping a specific part of the community,” Correa said. “The purpose of the giving tree is to help give DSI clients, who are adults with developmental disabilities, a better Christmas.”

Community members can go to Points West and pick up a handmade ornament from members of DSI. Each ornament is numbered and has a piece of paper attached which includes an item they asked for. 

“Those wish list items are everything from a pair of socks, to board games, new coat, bed set. Some needs and some want,” Correa said. 

The numbers make it anonymous as to who asked for what 

Those who wish to participate have until Dec. 16 to bring in the item wrapped or packaged to the bank. Correa said the items will be delivered to DSI on Dec. 23 where they will open their gifts during their Christmas party. 

Those who participate in getting a gift will get to keep the ornament they choose to remember the holiday cheer.

Correa said it is important for people to help with events such as this because it is a way to support parts of the community which are often underserved. 

“A lot of those clients have ties to Goshen County. We see them out in the community, some of them work locally,” Correa said. “I think it’s very important that everybody gets involved even on the smallest level however they see fit.” 

Correa also said partnering with DSI means a lot to her on a personal level as well. 

“Those clients have a special place in my heart because I have relatives who have worked there for a lot of years, so I think it’s very important,” Correa said. 

According to Correa, Points West is always looking to help out the community in different ways. 

“We always look to put a smile on someone else’s face, and I think doing this gives us a new group of people that we maybe wouldn’t think about day-to-day that little things can really put a smile on their face,” Correa said. 

Bringing the holiday spirit back after the difficulties from the past year is the ultimate goal. 

“I think we all need an extra reason to smile and another positive attitude,” Correa said. “Especially with everything that we’re dealing with in 2021.”