SANDPOINT — It’s hard not to feel inspired by “A Christmas Carol".

Ebenezer Scrooge appears on the scene — grumpy, bitter and miserable at life. (You can think of him as the 2020 of literary characters.)

Focused on only material things and money, he has long forgotten the simple joys of love and family. He has turned his back on what truly is important in life, obsessed with counting every last penny — it is never enough and he becomes more bitter and more miserable as his life winds forward.

The novella by Charles Dickens (who knew its full title is “A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas?”) brings the reader into Scrooge’s life as he is at a crossroads — continue down the lonely, bitter road he is on or embrace the joy of Christmas, of family, and the future.

It begins with a visit from his former business partner Jacob Marley, seven years after his death, who admonishes Scrooge about the path he is on and warns him from bitter experience where it leads. He tells Scrooge he has one final chance to change his destiny and tells his old partner that the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come are on their way.

The Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge back to his childhood, reminding him of a more innocent time. The Ghost of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to a joyous market when people are buying their holiday dinner, his nephew's Christmas party and to the home of Bob Cratchit, where Scrooge learns his employee's son, Tiny Tim, is gravely ill. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Scrooge is taken to the funeral of a man so disliked, it is only attended by fellow businesses when they are promised lunch. When Scrooge asks to see tenderness connected to death, he sees the Cratchit family mourning Tiny Tim's death. Scrooge is then shown his own grave, neglected and abandoned.

As the last ghost leaves him, Scrooge realizes what has been in front of him all along — that love, generosity and family are what is truly important.

Since he wrote it in 1842, “A Christmas Carol” has never been out of print, according to Wikipedia, and has been translated into multiple languages. It has been adapted numerous times for film, stage, opera and other media.

But what does this have to do with the Sandpoint Lions’ Toys for Tots drive? Lions members have long recognized the true joy of Christmas, of life, giving back to those around them, as did Scrooge following his visits from the ghosts. They know the spirit of the holiday is found in a young child, awakening on Christmas morning with a long-desired present under the tree — one they never expected to get.

Will you help them?

Today's donations total $4,750 bringing the total amount of donations received to date to $28,177.75 of the $50,000 goal set by the Lions for the annual Christmas campaign.

Generous donations were received from Sand Creek Schweitzer Conoco, $2,000; Larry & Joyce Anderson, $300; Rufayne Gail Legget, $100; Donald & Shirley Moore, $100; Delbert Bader, $100; Kendon & Judy Perry, $100; Randall & Darcy McDougall, $1,000; Fred & Sally Park, $300; Jacob Knaggs (in honor of the Knaggs family), $100; Jacob Knaggs (in honor of Barbed K. Custom Etching), $100; and anonymous, $550.

A donation in Tuesday's paper should have indicated it was from Daniel and Yvonne Hull. The couple gave $100 to the program.

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 2020 Toys for Tots program.

Applications are available at the Lions Den, 609 S. Ella St., Sandpoint, on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; online at the Sandpoint Lions Facebook page, facebook.com/SandpointLionsClub; or at Bonner Community Food Bank, 1707 Culvers Drive, Sandpoint. The deadline to submit an application is Monday, Dec. 14.

Masks are required to enter the Lions Den building or those dropping them off may also place them into the red box next to the door.

Toys may be dropped off at the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint; Farmhouse Restaurant, 477227 U.S. 95, Ponderay; Columbia Bank — Sandpoint branch, 414 Church St.; and Ponderay branch, 300 Kootenai Cutoff Road; Walmart, 476999 U.S. 95, Ponderay; and North 40, 477181 U.S. 95, Ponderay.

There are a host of coin jars around the community where spare change can be donated. In addition, monetary donations may be dropped off at both branches of Columbia Bank and the Bonner County Daily Bee during normal business hours. 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.