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Amid a tough year for many families, the local “Cowboys for Christmas” again delivered some relief.
From a horse-drawn wagon, the group of local residents brought food, toys, gift …
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Amid a tough year for many families, the local “Cowboys for Christmas” again delivered some relief.
From a horse-drawn wagon, the group of local residents brought food, toys, gift cards and Christmas trees to nearly two dozen families in Powell, Cody, Clark, Byron, Lovell, Deaver and Cowley.
“We don’t want to see anybody not have food on Christmas or any child not have a gift,” explained group member Janet Kelleher of Clark. “That’s just wrong.”
Cowboys for Christmas formed last year among a group of friends who all have a connection to horses or mules. Through word of mouth and Facebook, the group solicits both donations and nominations for families in need. The cowboys delivered holiday cheer to 23 families the weekend of Dec. 11 — matching the same number of folks they assisted in 2019.
“People were willing to give, realizing that some people really were having a hard, difficult time,” Kelleher said, saying the number of donations may have actually risen a little this year.
She said recipients were “very appreciative.” While the group was delivering a batch of goods to one family in Lovell, a neighbor came out with a warm plate of chocolate chip cookies, “just to say thank you,” Kelleher said, “which was super nice.”
Most of the Cowboys for Christmas rode horseback last year, but this month’s snowier weather generally limited them to trucks this time around. But the trees were still delivered by wagon.
The Cowboys for Christmas are looking to create a formal 501(c)3 nonprofit organization to carry on the efforts in 2021 and beyond.
“We want to continue to do it each year,” Kelleher said, “and expand it as much as we can.”
Group members include Samantha, Jerry and Wade Hill, Cayla and Caleb Norris, Mike Apanashk, Kristy Lewis and Chase Lewis and Joe and Janet Kelleher.
For more information, search for the Cowboys for Christmas group on Facebook. Checks made out to the group can be mailed to Cayla Norris, 854 Road 11, Powell, WY 82435 or donations can be sent via Paypal to cpreator@gmail.com. All of the funds raised are used each year for the deliveries to families, Kelleher said. “We’re just using it all to take care of them.”
