Announcing the 2023 Community Christmas Drive are (front row) Mike Snyder, Doug Klinsing, Mike Boyer, Frank Marchal, (back row) Jim Morehouse, Christy Bugher, Pegi Deeter, and Sharon Fellers.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
GREENVILLE — The 2023 Darke County Community Christmas Drive has been kicked off and it’s expected that this will be another great year of helping those in need in Darke County.
Starting just after Thanksgiving this year on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24 and 25, donations may be made at 12 different locations throughout the county. The efforts will continue on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1 and 2, Dec. 8 and 9 and Dec. 15 and 16 and then on Thursday, Dec. 21 and Friday, Dec. 22. At many locations donations will be gratefully accepted between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
In Greenville, volunteers will be “bell ringing” at Eikenberry’s IGA, Kroger, Montage Cafe and the Wal-Mart Supercenter and contributions can be made at Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln, SVG Chevrolet, ACE Hardware, Greenville National Bank in Ansonia and the main office of Greenville Federal. Donations can also be made at Casey’s in Ansonia and the New Madison Mini Mart.
The Christmas Drive Committee appreciates being able to collect donations at Rural King and Tractor Supply Company in past years, but due to corporate decisions beyond their local management, they won’t be able to participate this year.
The drive helps support the good work of the Salvation Army, the Grace Resurrection Community Center, Community Unity, the Faith United Methodist Food Bank in Arcanum, the Ansonia Community Food Bank and the Castine Area Food Bank. Some of the churches helping with the “bell ringing” include the Oakland Church of the Brethren, St. John’s Lutheran Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, St. Paul’s Lutheran, Greenville Missionary Church, Bible Fellowship, First United Methodist, Stelvideo Christian, Greenville Church of the Brethren, First Presbyterian, Beamsville Christian, Fort Jefferson United Methodist Church, EUM Church, Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren, Trinity Wesleyan and the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pitsburg.
The organizations helping out include the Rotary, the Kiwanis, the Gettysburg Lion’s Club, Darke County Realtors and Darke County Rural Electric. The work of all of these volunteers is greatly appreciated.
Last year individuals and local businesses generously stepped up and gave $30,493.94. No money is paid to any of the volunteers and all of the proceeds remain in Darke County. Besides the various locations around the area, donations can also be made to the “Darke County Community Christmas Drive” by mailing them to the Greenville National Bank, P.O. Box 190, Greenville, Ohio 45331 or by dropping off a donation to a teller at the main branch of the Greenville National Bank. Any churches or organizations interested in helping with the “bell ringing” or having any questions about the drive can be directed to Co-Chairmen Frank Marchal at 937-569-1439, Mel Musser at 937-626-7100 or Jim Morehouse at 937-547-1557.
