Where to donate for Pahrump causes this holiday season.

If readers are feeling generous of heart this holiday season, Sunflower Fashions is hosting two donation drives to benefit the local community and as a thank-you for contributing, all donors will be given a credit toward savings on the popular boutique’s stylish clothing, shoes and accessories.

The donation drives kicked off this month with a food drive to help stock the shelves of Salvation Army Food Bank, in honor of both Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Thus far, shop owner Laraine Babbitt said the effort is seeing success and she’s hopeful that as the word spreads, even more donations will pour in.

“The food drive for the Salvation Army Food Bank is going very well! We’ve had some great donations and so far, so good,” Babbitt reported this week.

She noted that on Veterans Day itself, she had a couple of donors stop by the store whose spirit of philanthropy and patriotism is well known, veterans Pam and Phil Raneri.

“You know, they do so much for the community, they are involved in many different things,” Babbitt said. “They do Mr. and Mrs. Claus around town for the kids and they are so supportive of their fellow veterans. Pam was recent a guest speaker at a veterans’ event at Harry Reid International Airport and she’s even had the honor of being able to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She and Phil are just wonderful. I was so glad to have them at the store and to have their support for this food drive.”

Though Babbitt plans to deliver a first batch of goods prior to Thanksgiving, the donation drive for the Salvation Army Food Bank will continue through to the end of the month.

Once November comes to a close, Sunflower Fashions will be turning to its next donation drive, intended to support another of the area’s populations, senior citizens.

“In December I will be teaming up with the Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley for their Christmas for Seniors program,” Babbitt announced with evident excitement.

The collaboration with the Soroptimist club came about as a result of the mutual membership of Babbitt and Soroptimist Gina Emond, both of whom are part of Ms. Senior Golden Years. At a meeting of that group, Babbitt was discussing her desire to do something for the older residents of the valley and teaming up with Emond on Christmas for Seniors was the perfect fit.

“I’ll be taking in donations of items like gloves, hats, scarves, socks, things like that. So just like for the food drive, for every person who brings in a donation, I will give them a credit toward their purchase! And you don’t need to spend a lot to make a difference. They have all kinds of great, affordable things at places like the dollar stores, that will really go a long way to making a local senior comfortable and happy this Christmas,” Babbitt concluded.

Sunflower Fashions is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop is located at 1141 S. Highway 160, Suite #7, in the shopping plaza off Postal Drive.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com

Author’s Note: This article was updated to reflect the correct entity receiving the donation from the November food drive.