The Potsdam Holiday Fund has announced that nearly 50 businesses have set up Giving Trees to benefit children in need in Potsdam and surrounding communities.

The Giving Trees are decorated with red and white diamond-shaped tags labeled with boy or girl, and the age of a child in need. The Potsdam Holiday Fund serves families with children from pre-birth to age 17.

Individuals who would like to help are asked to help “undecorate” the tree by taking a tag, purchasing a gift for the child, and returning it with the tag to a Giving Tree before December 13.

The Giving Tree portion of the Potsdam Holiday Fund is coordinated by the Kiwanis Club of Potsdam.

Participation in the Giving Tree program is a fun holiday activity for families and their children, who can learn important sharing lessons while also helping to choose gifts that are popular with children their own age.

Generally, there are plenty of gifts donated for toddlers, but not too many gifts are donated for the older children in the program. Based on past years, program volunteers offer the following suggestions for gifts for older children: Legos, Star Wars, Minecraft, Pokémon, scientific games, remote control cars/helicopters, skate boards, model car kits, shaving kits, rocket kits, jewelry, make up, nail polish, purses, perfume, crafts, hair accessories, adult coloring books, infinity scarfs, jewelry/make up organizers

They also seek PJ’s (tops and bottoms) electronics (head phones, alarm clocks, hand held games), books, board games, sporting goods (balls, bats, gloves, nets, sleds, snow shoes, water bottles, etc.) character t-shirts, trick puzzles, gift cards (movies, bowling, iTunes cards, Olympia Sports, hair, nails), and body wash/ lotion kits.

If clothing is donated, please indicate color and size of the item on the gift tag.

Giving Trees are located at the following businesses (all Giving Tree locations are in Potsdam, unless otherwise specified):

3 Bears Bakery, 51 Market St.

Adirondack FCU, 166 Market St.

Arby's, 172 Market St.

Barstow Motors, 154 Outer Market St.

Big Lots, 200 Market St.

Canton-Potsdam Hospital, 50 Leroy St.

Chilly Delight, 12 Main St.

Clarkson University Student Center

Collegiate Village of Potsdam, 206 Outer Main St.

Community Bank, 64-70 Market St

Community Bank - May Rd, 41 May Rd

Downtown Sports and Toys, 75 Market St.

Eben's Hearth, 115 Maple St.

Hampton Inn, 169 Market St.

Harris Medical, 71 Market St.

Home Town Café - Madrid, 3476 CR 14, Madrid

Jazzercise, 22 Depot St. (Market Square Mall)

Jernabi Coffeehouse, 11 Maple St.

Kevin Daniels Agency, 20 Elm St.

Key Bank, 17 Elm St.

Kinney Drugs, 48 Maple St.

Kinney Drugs, 200 Market St.

Mahoney's Auto Mall, 7513 US Hwy 11

Market Lanes, 144 Market St.

Monroe Muffler, 174 Market St.

NBT Bank, 6554 St. Hwy 56

North Country Savings Bank, 31 Main St.

Pizza Hut, 62 Market St.

Ponderosa, 185 Market St.

Potsdam Specialty Paper, 547 Sissonville Rd

Potter's Industries, 72 Reynolds Rd.

Presbyterian Church, 42 Elm St.

Sandstone Realty, 8149B US HWY 11

Save A Lot, 200 Market St.

Sears, 6586 St Hwy 56

St. Lawrence FCU, 6585 SH 56

St. Mary's Church, 17 Lawrence Ave.

SUNY Potsdam Becky's Place

SUNY Potsdam Bookstore

SUNY Potsdam Fitness Center, Maxcy Hall

Trinity Episcopal Church, 8 Maple St.

United Methodist Church, 26 Main St.

University Bookstore, 39 Market St.

UPS Store, 200 Market St.

Village Diner, 22 Depot St. (Market Square Mall)

W. Stockholm Village Market, 148 CR 47, West Stockholm

Walmart, 7494 US Hwy 11

Info: www.potsdamholidayfund.org.