Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is a process, and working together is success. This is a true account of the magic that happens each December in Chillicothe.

The Community Needs Agency helps people in our community all year long, but when Christmas time comes around, there is a concentrated effort for many individuals and organizations to work together.

CNA begins by collecting nonperishable items. Then the schools have a competition to see what class can bring in the most food. Next, the churches start collecting and bringing in boxes of food. Individuals and businesses also step up to contribute to the drive. Clubs begin to take on the task of furnishing 150 of a certain item to make sure each basket gets one of those items.

Then there are the bell ringers from all kinds organizations and walks of life. The money raised in the kettles buys gift cards to Kroger for each family to buy meat or other perishable foods that they many need for their Christmas dinner.

Each year the Optimist Club puts Christmas giving trees out in various stores in town and collect toys for all the kids. This year the Chillicothe Community Fire Protection District stepped up alongside the club to help provide toys for the 144 kids on the list.

The day before the event, the food is all transported to the pavilion at Three Sisters Park. The Optimists gather, sort, and bag all the toys and divide them into age categories, then organize them in numerical order for the next day. Food stations are set up and marked as to where each food items go—vegetables, potatoes, snacks, etc.

Then comes the big day when it all comes together. It starts at 6am when the lights are turned on, the coffee is made, and the 12 dozen donuts arrive. Volunteers begin coming in at 7am and after a blessing they start to sort all the food that has been collected and take it to the appropriately marked station. After that is done, the Scouts and families push grocery carts, furnished by Kroger, around to the different stations where they are filled with items from each category. When that is done, there is coffee, hot chocolate and donuts for all.

The fire trucks roll in at 8am and get to work loading then delivering all the food boxes and toys on their trucks for shut ins or those without transportation. 

By 9am the families begin to arrive to pick up their food and toys, and by 10–11am this super organized event is finished, the lights are turned off, and everyone goes home to their families.

This once a year spectacular event is a labor of love by our community for our  community, and it could never happen without the many servants working together. 

Thank you all for caring and 

“God Bless Us Everyone!”