GREENVILLE — The 2022 Darke County Community Christmas Drive is going well, but your help is needed in order to finish strong. Donations made at the various bucket locations throughout the county were quite generous over the third weekend totaling $5,509.81 and giving a total over the first six days of $13,910.61. In addition, five businesses in the community have donated $600 according to Christmas Drive Treasurer Mike Boyer with a grand total including buckets, business deposits and private donations of $15,040.89.

There will need to be a lot of giving over the last four days of the drive to achieve the 2021 grand total of $36,172.39.

Fortunately, during the remaining days, funds can be donated in Greenville at Eikenberry’s IGA, Kroger, the Montage Café, the Wal-Mart Supercenter, Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln, SVG Chevrolet, ACE Hardware and the main office of Greenville Federal. The Tractor Supply Company is also graciously allowing donations to be collected at their store this year. Donations can also be made at the Greenville National Bank in Ansonia, the New Madison Mini Mart and the Dollar General in Arcanum. The days to donate are Friday and Saturday, Dec. 16 and 17 and Thursday and Friday, Dec. 21 and 22.

Individuals and businesses can also make donations by checks written to the “Darke County Community Christmas Drive” mailed to the Greenville National Bank, P.O. Box 190, Greenville, Ohio 45331 or by dropping off a donation at the main branch of the Greenville National Bank.

Among those helped by the Christmas Drive are the Castine Area Food Bank that, according to Sharon Fellers, served 57 households for the year plus serving 76 households at Thanksgiving and 85 for Christmas. In addition, beginning in January of next year, the Castine Area Food Bank will be open on Tuesdays from 2-4 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Another organization assisted is the Faith United Methodist Food Bank in Arcanum. They focus on those in the Arcanum/Pittsburg area by providing food, some of which has been donated by the Arcanum Middle School, local Boy Scouts and Postal Workers and through a food drive scheduled for this coming January with some of the students in the Franklin-Monroe School System. Sharon Troutwine reports that money from the Christmas Drive helps provide their clients with fresh food in addition to being able to give some snack foods to the Arcanum Pre-School. They are striving to make it as easy as possible for their clients to get help from their spacious food pantry once every month by simply calling the church at 937-692-8934.

Any questions about the drive can be directed to Co-Chairman Frank Marchal at 937-569-1439.