CANTON – The Church & Community Giving Tree Program is receiving help this year from SUNY Canton’s women’s lacrosse team.

The team is pitching in to help local children in need have a happy holiday by raising money to buy new PJs for each child in the program.

Twenty team members, led by head coach Adam Todd, will be going door to door during the next two weeks, meeting community members and asking them to help make a child’s holiday brighter this year.

“This is incredibly generous of the young women,” says Fran Bailey, Co-Director of Giving Tree. “We sincerely hope that everyone will welcome them as they work to help people in their ‘school home town.’”

Residents can expect visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Oct. 25-26 and Nov. 1-2 during later daylight hours. All student pairs will have ID and be dressed in their lacrosse gear.

As the homeowner opens the door, the students will hand them a half-sheet flyer that describes what the collection is for and verifies that the students are representing the Church & Community Giving Tree, 30 Court St., Canton.

The flyer, which features the CCP logo of Church & Community, states that the team members are seeking donations for the annual Church & Community Giving Tree program to provides toys, clothing, The goal is to purchase 400 sets of pajamas for children of families in need. Just $20 will purchase one set of PJs and help keep a local child feeling warm and safe at night.

“These young women are looking forward to giving back to the community,” Coach Todd notes. “We would hope to make our funding drives a community tradition.”

Giving Tree is one of two special programs offered by the Church & Community Program, headquartered in Canton. Its primary purpose is to help local parents provide for their children, supplying vouchers for holiday gifts and food. Parents then shop for the children they know best: their own. Besides the vouchers, each child (nearly 400 last year) receives a new pair of PJs and a warm hat knitted by an area knitting group.

Additionally, the program also serves seniors in the area, many of whom are alone during the holidays, delivering to each of the 60 who qualify a bag of treats and small items.

People who aren’t visited by lacrosse team members, but wish to donate, can do so online at ccpcanton.org or drop off a donation at the thrift shop at 30 Court St., open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays).