SANDPOINT — Laura Landerman-Garber and her family were sitting around the Thanksgiving table, talking and enjoying the holiday.

Thankful to be together, the family decided to start a new tradition — writing holiday greeting cards for American servicemen and women stationed overseas. After continuing the tradition for several years, she asked her other friends and family members to send their own letters as well, according to goodnewsnetwork.org.

“The thought of someone being away at a time when in our culture, in American culture particularly, the holidays are all about gathering together … for me, I wanted to be able to reach out and just maybe give a little bit of a bridge so that person who is far away feels a little tiny bit closer to home,” Landerman-Garber told CNN.

What began around Landerman-Garber’s table and in the basement of her New Hampshire home has grown into an international labor of love, the website reported..

Because of the amount of mail, Landerman-Garber started Holiday Cards for Our Military in her basement — and this year, the organization is sending out more than 160,000 letters to American servicemen and women. Taking part in this year’s drive are adults, children, and students from more than 32 states as well as Guam and Canada.

In case you’re curious, the letters topped the scales at more than 3,000 pounds. (And for those interested, the group’s website is militaryholidaycardchallenge.com.)

Those cards and letters will brighten the holidays for Americans serving their country throughout the world and is an amazing gift of holiday spirit and celebration. In many ways, the Sandpoint Lions Club’s Toys for Tots campaign does the same thing, just right here at home in our community.

Because of the love and generosity of the community’s residents and businesses, hundreds of youngsters will wake up Christmas morning with presents under the tree and delicious food for a warm holiday meal.

That is community. That is love. That is Christmas.

The total for this year’s Toys for Tots drive is up to $4,821.13 generous donations of $1,250 were received from: Woods Meats, 250; and Mountain Ledgers, $1,000.

The goal for this year’s campaign is $50,000 — the same as it has been in past years. The Lions make the most of the money by shopping bargains, and with the assistance of generous local businesses. The Lions make the most of the money by shopping bargains, and with the assistance of generous local businesses. The Toys for Tots program provides free new toys for children living in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, from Sandpoint to Clark Fork and all points in-between. A Christmas dinner for the family is also provided.

If you know someone, or need help yourself, the Lions are taking applications for the 2018 Toys for Tots program. Members are at the Lions Den, 607 S. Ella Street in Sandpoint, on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, until Monday, Dec. 17 Applications are also available at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare office, 207 Larkspur St., Ponderay.

Donations for Toys for Tots can be dropped off at the front desk at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also drop off donations at Columbia Bank’s main branch in Sandpoint, 414 Church St., or at the Ponderay branch, 300 Bonner Mall Way; and at Mountain West Bank, 476655 Highway 95, Ponderay.

Donations may be mailed to the Sandpoint Lions Club, Box 414, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

Donations made by check are preferred. Be sure to include a note with your check indicating that it is a Toys for Tots donation. If you wish to make an anonymous donation, please include a note.

If the donation is being made in someone’s name, be sure to also include a note.

Information: Sandpoint Lions Club, 208-263-4118

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.