This weekend, more than 150 Clark County children were given the opportunity to select some much-needed school clothes and other items during the Walk With a Child.

The annual charity event is sponsored by the Winchester Kiwanis Club to allow local students — who are recommended through the schools’ family resource centers — to buy clothes, shoes, jackets and school-related items. As the seasons change, this is a great opportunity to make sure local students don’t go without warm, comfortable and well-fitting clothes.

The local Kiwanis chapter spent $12,591 at Walmart Saturday, or about $78 per child, as well as countless volunteer hours.

There are many local groups who do their part to make sure the children in our community have the best chance to get a quality education. Much of getting a good education relates to arriving to school well-rested, well-fed and comfortably clothed.

We applaud groups, like Kiwanis and many others, who aim to provide the basic needs and much more for local children.

While we were happy to showcase the efforts of the Kiwanis Club in Monday’s newspaper, you may have also noticed that another group is already gearing up to help provide some joy for area children on Christmas.

The holiday is still three months away, but Clark County firefighters are getting a head start collecting toys for local children.

The toy drive organized by the Clark County Firefighters Association is returning after a 10-year hiatus. The goal is to help 150 families in Clark County by collecting and then distributing toys in December.

Presently, the firefighters are working on building collection boxes which will be placed throughout the county. Donations and toys will also be accepted at Clark County Fire Department Station 1 on Barnes Drive. The last day to donate is Dec. 1, which will allow time for firefighters to sort the toys.

As the holidays approach, many other opportunities will arise to give back to Clark County’s littlest citizens.

They are our future, and there are few things as moving and gratifying as a seeing a child smile over a new pair of shoes, a hot meal or a shiny new Christmas toy.

Outreach programs, like these and many more, would not be possible without the community’s support.

We encourage you to keep some of the less fortunate children in mind this holiday season and consider donating gifts, food or money to causes that provide for them.