Every December for the past 31 years, volunteers have banded together to conduct Project Santa Claus in Carson Valley, providing Christmas presents for children of families in need within the community.

The program benefits hundreds of local families every year and is a combined effort between a number of community organizations and volunteers.

It’s an effort Carson Valley Medical Center has been proud to support for many years and continued to do so this year, donating funds to help provide bicycle helmets to children receiving bicycles or scooters, serving as an Angel Tree location for employees to select children to donate presents to and providing lunch for volunteers helping during distribution week.

Today, Carson Valley Medical Center CEO Jeff Prater toured the distribution week operation out at the Douglas County Fairgrounds and presented this year’s donation check to Project Santa Claus organizer Gary Dove and a number of staff members volunteered time to help wrap presents.