Angela Jones, a University of Maine at Farmington student from Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, stands by the UMF Giving Tree. Submitted photo

Efforts are underway throughout the University of Maine at Farmington campus to make the holiday season a little brighter throughout the community.

The Giving Tree, sponsored by the University Store and in its 17th year, is kicking off its annual holiday gift drive. Once again, the holiday tradition is in partnership with the Farmington Elks Lodge and Operation Santa Claus.

Members of the campus and community can stop by the store at 238 Main St., Farmington, and take a tag from the holiday tree to fulfill a special request or drop off a new, unwrapped gift of items like clothes, shoes, winter wear, toys and books. Donations will be accepted until Friday, Dec. 16.

In addition to the Giving Tree, campus members are collaborating with Farmington Rotary, the Pierce House and the Franklin County Children’s Task Force in the annual Pajama Drive. Their goal is to collect 300 sets of new pajamas for children of all sizes, newborn to adult, to distribute to those in need during the winter months. Donations of new socks are also welcome and will be distributed to local schools.

Pajamas can be dropped off until Dec. 16 at Room 105 in the UMF Fusion Center on South Street, the UMF Admissions Office at 246 Main St., or the Franklin County Children’s Task Force on Church Street.

The UMF Student Athlete Advisory Committee has been collecting food and toys at athletic events to distribute to the community. Non-perishable food items were collected at November home games and brought to the Care and Share Food Closet in Farmington. Toys brought to athletic games on Saturday, Dec. 10, will be distributed to the community through the University Store’s partnership with Operation Santa Claus.

For more information, email April Mulherin, UMF associate director for media relations, at april.mulherin@maine.edu.

Check out other upcoming area events!