By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Members of the Niles Art Association are giving up their annual holiday gift exchange to help a few Niles residents.
On Tuesday evening, members wrapped gifts and made cards and ornaments for a group of Niles veterans who reside at Lincoln Way Estates.
"This year we decided to skip the gift exchange because we wanted to help someone else. We feel very lucky to be able to make a difference and help others," member Keri Black said.
The group bought gifts for 16 veterans and will also be providing a full Christmas dinner, which will include turkey, potatoes and everything that goes along with the meal. One week before Christmas, members will have a chance to deliver their gifts and meals to the residents.
"They will get all of the fixings that go along with Christmas. We're very excited about this and are hoping we can continue to do something like it in the future," Black added."
It's not too late to step in and help someone this holiday season as plenty of families, residents and children still need your help. For ideas on how you can help make someone's Christmas a little brighter, contact local organizations, such as the Niles Salvation Army and The Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan. You can also drop off donations, such as toys, clothes and food items, to a number of different drop-off locations in and around Niles.