By: Betty Lee

When you think of most children at Christmas, you think of Christmas wish lists focused on holiday fun.  Well, not for 9-year-old Jaylnn Jeffrey. From a young age Jaylnn has noticed things and tried to help in ways that were above her years.  In preschool she witnessed a friend put apples in her pockets so she could eat later, and she immediately knew something was wrong with that picture.

As the years have gone on, Jalynn’s efforts to help have grown.  Jaylnn picks one family to help during the holiday season, taking them a large food basket and gifts, and she also collects food for the food pantry.  Jaylnn adopted a family last year and did a large food basket, toys, and a cleaning and personal hygiene basket.

This Christmas season, Jaylnn decided to adopt a family of three children by supplying them with presents, and also donated food to local blessing boxes. Jaylnn and her mother donate items to the boxes weekly, but have never seen them completely full. She has a desire to see these boxes filled up and is striving to make that happen this season.

Jaylnn tried to get a blessing box set up in Clendenin but was rejected last year due to the church having a food pantry.  The blessing box was something she believed would benefit the town when the pantry was closed, or would benefit someone trying to get something together quickly for hungry children- just a little to get someone through a rough time. Well, this past week that blessing box was installed in front of Town Hall under a new mayor.