Angel Tree at Town Hall. See below.

As you finish up your holiday shopping, why not consider giving an “alternative gift”? That’s a purchase or contribution in lieu of a gift to family or friends. It can  help someone a little less fortunate, or support a non-profit organization. We offer some ideas of where your gift is needed – and where you can volunteer your time this holiday.

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Holiday Angel Tree -Davidson police and fire departments are seeking donations for their annual Holiday Angel Tree in the rotunda at Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. If you’d like to give, visit the tree and pick up a gift-giving ornament, which comes with a gift request for a child or family. Gifts are due back Dec. 10. Details in our Nov. 21 news item. Similar “angel trees” can be found at schools, churches and other locations around town. If you pass one, consider helping out!

Davidson Housing Coalition will raise money for its home repair program through sales of this 2009 calendar featuring local photographers.

HAMMERS Images of Hometowns calendar 2009 – Hammers, the emergency home repair program of Davidson Housing Coalition, is selling its 2009 Images of Hometowns calendar, featuring the work of local photographers, including some of your faithful reporters here at DavidsonNews.net. The calenders are $14.95, with all proceeds going to emergency home repairs for those in need. To order, contact Nancy Waldrop at 704-892-4486 or find it at: Wooden Stone (445 S. Main St.) The Great Frame Up (8712 Lindholm Drive in Birkdale Village); The Village Store (110 S. Main St.); and the Davidson Housing Coalition office, 220 Sloan St. More information is available on davidsonhousing.org.

Davidson Housing Coalition also has other ways to give. During Christmas in Davidson, they’ll have a table under the big tent on the Village Green, near Davidson public library branch. They’ll be selling calendars (above), or accepting donations, which buy: $5, five pieces of lumber; $15, 5 lbs. nails; $20, 1 bunch of shingles; $40, 5 hammers; $75, 1 toilet; $100, wheelchair ramp materials. The coalition also will be selling tickets for its annual Souper Bowl fund-raiser, which is Jan. 31, noon to 2 p.m. in the Lilly Family Gallery of the Davidson College Chambers Building. Tickets are: adults ($10), students ($8), and children ($5).

Davidson Community Players, Davidson’s hometown theater company, invites you to help a child take a creative drama class by donating to the Connie Company scholarship fund. Make a gift in your child’s or grandchild’s name. Children are enrolled in Connie Company youth theater classes regardless of their ability to pay the class fee and your donations help to cover the cost. Most class fees are $65 for a six week session. Make checks payable to Davidson Community Players, PO Box 76, Davidson, NC 28036.

Ada Jenkins Center – The regional community services organization, based in a former school on Davidson’s West Side, provides a variety of health, education and social services, including the Loaves & Fishes food pantry, free medical and dental clinics and career assistance. You can help in several ways: by making gifts in kind or financial contributions, or by volunteering your time. Learn more at www.adajenkins.org/support or www.adajenkins.org/volunteer/

Our Towns Habitat for Humanity – Our Towns Habitat is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian ministry working to eliminate substandard housing in our communities and the world. Serves families in the towns of Mooresville, Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville. To donate online, CLICK HERE>

Mooresville Soup Kitchen – Provides a warm lunch to those in need five days a week and Saturdays during the winter. Needs financial support, help organizing food drives, and help sorting and serving food. To make a donation or find out about volunteer opportunities, call 704-660-9010, or visit www.mooresvillesoupkitchen.com.

Davidson Lands Conservancy – The DLC has an alternative gift card, so you can give a gift of green to family and friends this holiday season. The cards will be available at Christmas in Davidson Dec. 4-6 in downtown Davidson and at the DLC office throughout the year. For a donation of $10, $25 or more, you get a fold-out card to inscribe and send as you wish. Details: 704-892-1910, or www.davidsonlands.org

Davidson Historical Society – The Society is raising money for its programs this year by selling a pewter holiday ornament (left) with an image of the historic Beaver Dam home, off Davidson-Concord Road. Ornaments will be sold for $20 each at Christmas in Davidson (in front of Cairn Studio) Dec. 4-6, 6-9 p.m., or at Main Street Books Dec. 13 and 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. More about the society, www.davidsonhistoricalsociety.org

Davidson United Methodist Church “Christmas Mission Mall” – Every Sunday morning from Dec. 7-21, Davidson United Methodist Church on South Main St. will host its annual Christmas Mission Mall, where you can buy “alternative gifts” by sending money to support such efforts as water purification in Haiti, a child’s education in Nicaragua, an Afghan child’s operation, or day’s worth of food for a local soup kitchen. Contributions are made through Heifer Project and Alternative Gifts International. This year they’ve added Lake Norman Children’s Relief, Rainbow Network (Nicaragua), and the Angels and Sparrows Soup Kitchen. For those who wish to buy handcrafted items from around the world, the One Neighborhood Fair Trade Marketplace will join our mission partners from the Ivory Coast in selling their fair-trade handcrafted items. The United Methodist Women, our Cuddle Quilt ministry, the Social Justice team, and others will be selling items to extend our mission outreach. Hours: Dec. 7, 14 and 21 – 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the church Fellowship Hall. Visa, MasterCard, cash and checks are accepted.

Davidson United Methodist Church Music Academy – This new venture by the church’s Music Department will provide music instruction to those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. To raise money for the effort, the church women’s ensemble, Les Belles, are available to sing for class get-togethers, company parties, etc. Singing both secular and sacred music, all proceeds earned will support the Music Academy. Contact Robin Burt at songbird5428@aol.com or 704-947-0251 to reserve a date.

UNITED FAMILY SERVICES – United Family Services provides affordable, community-based counseling services. Our counseling services include domestic violence counseling; rape crisis counseling, prevention and education; consumer credit and housing counseling, including mortgage default and reverser mortgage counseling; and individual and family counseling. You can help by providing financial support, or by purchasing toys for our play therapy programs. To learn more, visit www.unitedfamilyservices.org.

MEN IN BALANCE, a local faith-based nonprofit that helps men, is having a fund-raising auction. You can shop at the auction and help out the organization, and businesses are invited to donate items. For more information, visit the Men in Balance website.

OTHER GIVING GUIDES

Davidson College community service page – Davidson College’s community service web page has a list of ideas for giving and giving back this holiday, from food for the Loaves & Fishes Pantry to volunteer opportunities and gift trees. See the college website for details.

Charlotte Observer giving guide – The newspaper has a searchable online database of places you can give. You’ll need to pick a location or a type of service to use it. CLICK HERE>

Have a listing to add?

Send it by email to editor David Boraks. Or call 704-896-0569