For many parishes, an important part of the Advent season is to sponsor Giving Trees where parishioners have the opportunity to fulfill Christmas wishes by gathering gifts for people in need.

While the Giving Tree project has been a much loved tradition in St. Luke Parish, Toms River, where parishioners have enjoyed supporting various local agencies by sharing their generosity and Christmas spirit with the less fortunate in the weeks preceding the celebration of the Birth of Christ, this past year, a new tradition was introduced, according to Father Robert Grodnicki, pastor. The parish had two  Giving Trees – one for parishioners to purchase gifts for people and the other to purchase gifts for pets.

Father Grodnicki said in addition to collecting gifts of clothing, toys, gift cards and other items for area outreach agencies such as Madonna House, Neptune; Catholic Charities Providence House, Lakewood; and St.Anthony Claret Parish, Lakewood, parishioners were invited to support an animal shelter in Jackson by collecting gifts for cats and dogs – dog food, cat food, kitty litter, pet toys and old sheets and towels.

Father Grodnicki said the response to the Giving Trees was overwhelming then noted it was special for the parish to support the animal shelter because it’s a facility that specifically helps people who are at risk of having to give up their pets because of financial difficulties.

Father Grodnicki said the Giving Trees were set up before Thanksgiving and the collection took place the second week of Advent. He noted that while the tree for people was decorated with ornaments, the tree for the pets was decorated with “bones” that were made out of paper. The ornaments were made by children of the parish with the requested gifts printed on the back.

Father Grodnicki chuckled when he mentioned that the Giving Tree for pets was named “Pudge’s Tree,” in honor of his boxer, Pudge.