The Santa's Elves program in Clark Township is beginning, and descriptions of young people who need holiday gifts are now available at First National Bank, Les Cheneaux Branch in Cedarville. The bank is also planning a food drive to stock the shelves of the Cedar Post Emergency Food Pantry in Cedarville.

Santa's Elves is the Les Cheneaux Islands area holiday gift and food distribution program. The program provides Christmas presents to approximately 110 needy children and food for 45 families during the Christmas holiday season.

Sponsors donate gifts by picking up description cards that include the age and gender of children who need gifts; they are now available at First National Bank. The deadline for returning gifts is Friday, December 15. Volunteers hope to distribute gifts by Wednesday, December 20.

Cards are typically hung on the bank's Christmas tree in mid- to late-November, but the cards are available now, and anyone who wants to shop early can ask bank staff for the cards.

Gifts should be turned in, wrapped, and identified by a tag with recipient's age and gender information on the outside.

Anyone who wants to contribute to Santa's Elves can come to First National Bank on Meridian Street in Cedarville, or call Kate Ter Haar at (906) 484- 3610 or Pat O'Brien at (906) 484- 3520. Donations can be mailed to Santa's Elves, care of Kate Ter Haar, 803 Islington Road, Cedarville Michigan 49719.

Linda Williams, a bank employee in Cedarville, is coordinating the food drive, and donations can be made through her or dropped off at the bank's collection box.

Canned goods, dry mixes, pudding mixes, powdered beverages, and packaged cereals, fruits, and nuts will be collected through the month of November, and can be dropped off at the bank. The Cedar Post also needs paper products, cleaning supplies, and toiletries like toothpaste and shampoo.