At Christmastime, the employees at the Lawrence County Department of Jobs and Family Services play Santa Claus to more than 300 needy children as well as senior citizens.

And each year, generous citizens lend their support to the office’s Secret Santa program as well by donating money to the cause.

Already this year, the push to raise money for the holidays is under way. JFS employees are raffling off five themed gift baskets.

“We have a his-and-her work and relax basket, a Buckeye fan basket, and a harvest basket,” JFS account clerk Linda Lou Ferguson said. “We have a cheese bowl basket, a bed and breakfast basket and a who wants to be a millionaire basket. It has scratch offs lottery tickets.”

The drawing will be Oct. 5.

“Last year we raised over $1,100 with seven baskets,” Ferguson said. “This is always a big money maker for us.”

Various employee teams were in charge of arranging baskets and are competing to see which basket generates the most interest and, in turn, money.

Tickets are $1 or $5 for six tickets. They can be obtained by calling the either Linda Lou Ferguson or Sandy Turvey at the

JFS office, 532- 3324.