Page 69 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2025 - Online Magazine

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE

a simple idea—born out of love collected help brighten the holidays classes. To quote her father, Davis,
and loss—could unite an entire for more and more children in “She was always upside down.”
community. The magnitude of Lubbock and surrounding areas.
donations made it clear that Charli’s With this in mind, Lake Ridge
legacy of giving resonates with Expanding Charli’s Legacy: Chapel and Memorial Designers
everyone. Announcing “The Charli Jones set up the Charli Jones Tumbling
Tumbling Scholarship Fund” Scholarship Fund, which we hope
The toys collected each year are will make gymnastics accessible to
distributed to local families, schools, As Charli’s Tree continues to grow, a few children who might otherwise
and charitable organizations that so does its impact. Along with toy be unable to afford classes. While
serve children in need, ensuring that donations, Lake Ridge Chapel also the monetary donations received
they, too, will get to experience the receives monetary contributions will continue to be used to purchase
joy of the holidays. each year. These donations are used additional toys, a portion will now
to purchase additional toys to bless go to the new scholarship fund,
Charli’s Tree has grown each year, more children. allowing children in need to learn,
with more donations and more grow, and build confidence through
people contributing to the cause. Over the years, we have become gymnastics, just as Charli did.
LRCMD now hosts “Christmas in very close to the Jones family. In
July,” a special interactive movie November of last year, David and With the support of TexStar
night, to jump-start the collection Kerri opened their home to us, and Athletics, a local gymnastics facility
of toys. The official toy drive is we were welcomed with genuine love where Charli attended classes, the
launched with our “Annual Charli’s and humbling graciousness. It was Charli Jones Tumbling Scholarship
Tree Lighting Ceremony” in mid- the first time we had sat down with Fund will begin to help children
November and spans the several her parents and siblings for a rare who otherwise might not have
weeks leading up to Christmas. opportunity to visit with them about had the chance to participate. This
Charli, and the impact that her life will ensure that Charli’s love for
For us, Charli’s Tree is more than continues to make. When asked how tumbling—and her spirit of giving—
just a toy drive—it is a symbol of they would like to see Charli’s Tree lives on through future generations.
the kindness and compassion that evolve in the future, they shared a
can blossom out of tragedy. Lake powerful vision: they would like to The success of Charli’s Tree over
Ridge Chapel is not only dedicated see the monetary donations be used the past few years has been nothing
to keeping Charli’s memory alive to help fund classes for children who short of remarkable. The toy drive
but has also created something may not be able to take tumbling. has grown exponentially, with more
that serves as a beacon of hope for This idea was especially meaningful donations and greater community
children who may be struggling. because Charli had always been so participation each year. But even
Each year, the impact of Charli’s Tree passionate about gymnastics and more significant is the lasting impact
spreads further, as the donations had spent her young life enjoying the of Charli’s legacy.

Lubbock Senior Link 69