Gifts sought for MLSD bus drivers’ Tree of Sharing
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 months, 2 weeks AGO
The Moses Lake School District Transportation Department Tree of Sharing stands in the transportation building at 940 E. Yonezawa. As of Friday, there were 18 presents still to be bought for children in the district.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | December 9, 2025 1:15 AM
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake’s school bus drivers still have a few gifts to buy, and they could use a little help.
“We had 40 on Monday,” said school bus driver Cynde Goldsmith on Friday. “Someone (told me) we have 18 left.”
The drivers have a tree, called the Tree of Sharing, in the MLSD Transportation Building with tags on it, indicating a child or family who could use a little joy on Christmas morning. A driver – and anyone else who wants to – takes the tag, buys a gift, wraps it and brings it back. Then Santa’s elves, disguised as bus drivers, deliver the gifts to the schools. The tree started out with about 120 tags, Goldsmith said.
“I had a police officer last night that picked one up (after the Dec. 4 school board meeting),” she said. “(MLSD Superintendent) Carol Lewis picked up some … and a lawyer’s office in town always does some, and they already grabbed their tags.”
The presents should be back at the tree by Dec. 12, Goldsmith said. They’ll be delivered on Dec. 17.
This year’s deliveries could be complicated by the Moses Lake teachers’ strike, which was still ongoing Friday.
“We might have to go to each house and deliver the presents,” she said.
The Tree of Sharing is located in the Transportation Building at 940 E. Yonezawa Blvd., Moses Lake. Anyone interested in taking a tag can call 509-766-2676.
Update: After this story went to press, the Columbia Basin Herald received word that all the remaining tags had been taken.
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