The Better Business Bureau recently sent this advice for holiday charity:

As the holidays approach, many people are getting ready to donate to their favorite cause or charity. Historically, individual donations have accounted for well over 80 percent of the total amount given to charity. However, the recession has had an effect on the amount Americans have been able to give.

According to the GivingUSA Foundation, charitable donations in 2008 amounted to $307.65 billion, down 2 percent from 2007.

Now when you use 'GoodSearch.com' as your search engine, you can help the Library Foundation of Carver County's fundraising efforts. Leanne Brown, LFCC director of development announced Monday that the foundation is now a "GoodSearch charity."

The CAP Agency is kicking off its Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign.“Imagine…if every Minnesota shared with their local food shelf…” is the theme for the 2009 campaign to raise awareness about hunger and to encourage donations to local food shelves, according to a CAP Agency press release.

“The CAP Agency Food Shelves are now serving over 1,000 households per month from Scott and Carver counties,” stated Mary Sullivan, executive director of the CAP Agency.

With more than nine inches of ice already covering Firemen’s Lake in downtown Chaska, there should be little doubt as to whether or not this year’s annual ice fishing contest will take place on the ice Saturday. But there is.

Jan Adams has made a career out of saving lives.

Up until St. Francis Urgent Care closed in Chaska this past May, the ER physician used medicine to save lives. These days, Adams is focused on saving lives with art, and she’s recently brought her cause to downtown Chaska.

Jim Broucek isn’t afraid to say it. “We’re in a recession,” he declared as he looked over the number of new cases Carver County’s Social Services department has taken on of late.

As an income support manager for the county, Broucek has noticed an increase in the demand for services like financial assistance, food support and workforce training.

Bethel Fellowship Church in Chaska is collecting items for care packages that will be sent to soldiers in Iraq this holiday season.

Bethel Fellowship Church attendee David Mertz and his company will be the recipients of the care packages. Mertz’s 555th Engineers, 571st Sapper Company is doing road clearance and patrol in Balad, Iraq. They are due home in the latter part of 2009.

A Benefit for Kirra event has been scheduled for Sunday, October 26, 2008, 5-9 pm at the Chanhassen American Legion, 290 E. Lake Dr., Chanhassen, MN 55317. This event - organized by friends of Kirra and her family - consists of a Spaghetti Dinner, Silent Auction, Performance by the Waconia Performing Arts Center and Halloween "trick or treating" - bring the kids in their costumes!