Sarpy County Bar Association Adopts 4 Families for Holidays
For its annual holiday charity drive, the Sarpy County Bar Association raised more than $4,000 to help area families in need this holiday season.
With assistance from Sarpy County Human Services, the SCBA adopted three families totaling 19 people. A bar member’s extended family adopted a fourth family of five who have been struggling this year.
“It’s a way for us to give back to the community,” SCBA President Mandy Gruhlkey said. “Being part of the legal community, I think it’s important that the community sees that we aren’t just about the court system and the adversarial process, but that we really do – as a bar association in Sarpy – care about our community, and we recognize that during the holiday season there are a lot of people that are in need, that can’t provide for their families.”
Families that live in Sarpy County and have children ages 14 and under can submit applications to the county’s Holiday Assistance Program along with a list of wants and needs. After a screening process, the lists are then passed on to the local businesses that signed up to help. “It really is a good way to end the year on a high note with having all of our members contribute to this charity,” Gruhlkey said. “It’s amazing how many people actually do donate to it. Every year, it’s more and more, and it just blows my mind how generous the lawyers are in this community.”
This year also marks the 30th straight year that the SCBA has come together for those in need. What began as collecting toys for Toys for Tots at the association’s yearly Christmas party has evolved over the years in both focus and scope.
The money raised by the SCBA will go toward “toys, art supplies, necessities and clothes for the three bar association families,” said Bellevue attorney Greg Pivovar, who assists in coordinating the purchasing and delivering of the presents.
“The monies spent include making sure that (the families) have a gift card with sufficient funds to provide a family dinner at Christmas,” Pivovar said.
Other items requested this year include day-to-day items like underwear, socks, drawing pencils, blankets and colors and coloring books, Pivovar said.
While going over the lists from the three families, Gruhlkey noticed that they all had something in common.
“All of the parents of the families we adopted, none of them wanted anything,” Gruhlkey said. “They’re being completely selfless.”
Gruhlkey said that despite the parents’ unselfish gesture, Pivovar assured her that there would be something under the tree for them as well.
This year has been difficult for everyone.
“I think that’s one reason why this year, I feel like we’ve gotten more donations than we ever have,” Gruhlkey said. “The legal community too has probably suffered a little bit, because of the pandemic, but I think it’s just really encouraging that they’re still willing to extend a hand and help people in need.”
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