DARKE COUNTY — The 2017 Darke County Community Christmas Drive is coming up.
Starting just after Thanksgiving, Friday and Saturday, November 24 and 25, donations may be made at 11 different locations throughout the county. The efforts will continue Friday and Saturday, December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23. At most locations donations will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
In Greenville, volunteers will be “bell ringing” at the Kitchen Aid Experience, Eikenberry’s IGA and both entrances of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Contributions can also be made at Sutton’s Super Value, in Arcanum; the Greenville National Bank, in Ansonia and the new Madison Mini Mart. Donations will be collected at Kroger and Rural King for both the Salvation Army and the Darke County Community Christmas Drive. Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln and the main office of Greenville Federal will also be collecting funds. In addition, a special fundraising effort will take place Monday, December 4, at the Greenville Bob Evans Restaurant.
Churches helping with the “bell ringing” include: Coletown Christian, Greenville Missionary, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, St. Paul’s Lutheran, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Bible Fellowship, First United Methodist, Stelvideo Christian, East Zion, Trinity Wesleyan, Greenville Church of Brethren, Evangelical United Methodist, First Presbyterian, Beamsville Christian, Fort Jefferson, Cedar Grove, New Madison United Methodist and First Universalist Church, in New Madison. The Castine Church of the Brethren, the Arcanum Lion’s Club and Faith United Methodist help with the effort in Arcanum, while various churches help in Ansonia. Organizations helping out, include: the Greenville Lion’s Club and the Greenville National Bank, in addition to the Rotary and Kiwanis, that cover all ten days of the drive. Also collecting funds every day of the drive are the Oakland Church of the Brethren, St. John’s Lutheran Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The work of these volunteers is greatly appreciated, a representative said.
According to a representative, last year, people generously stepped up and gave the largest amount ever collected. A total of $30,427.75 went to help the good work of FISH, Community Unity, the Grace Resurrection Community Center, the Faith United Methodist Food Bank in Arcanum, the Ansonia United Methodist Food Bank and the Castine Area Food Bank. No money is paid to any of the volunteers, and all of the proceeds remain in Darke County, a representative said. Besides the various locations around the area, donations can also be made to the “Darke County Community Christmas Drive” at P.O. Box 433, Greenville, Ohio, 45331, or by dropping off a donation to the Community Christmas Drive Treasurer Mike Boyer, at the main branch of the Greenville National Bank. Any questions about the drive can be directed Co-Chairman Joseph Soley, at 937-547-0533.
