<p>Ducks provide high-quality protein and extra income for needy people, and in places that flood frequently they can be easier to keep than chickens. Photo from worldvisiongifts.org</p>

ASTORIA – Debbie Loyd will give a Christmas piano concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at Astoria Christian Church, 1151 Harrison Ave. Music will be in various styles of familiar Christmas songs.

Admission is free, but donations are welcomed for World Vision’s gift catalog program to provide goats, chickens, cows and other gifts for needy people across the world. Attendees can look through catalogs at the concert and select items they wish to send, or make monetary donations, which will be added to a fund.

Live animal gifts provide a renewable source of protein and income for people in many parts of the world and help them become self-sustaining. Other gift items from World Vision include such things as sewing machines, job training, clean water wells, clothing and even an “animal of the month club.” Participants can also donate a portion of a more costly project such as draft oxen and a plow for struggling farmers.

“This is such a great opportunity to give people things where they can become self-sufficient instead of staying dependent,” Loyd said. “A goat or fruit tree can provide meals or income on an ongoing basis. It’s a gift that truly keeps on giving. It’s not just a meal or two – it provides ongoing income.”

For more information, contact Loyd at 503-298-8285 or debbie.loyd@gmail.com

For more information about World Vision, visit http://worldvisiongifts.org