Volunteers give back to the community during the holidays

The communities of Washington, Jefferson and Henry counties are coming together to warm up the season with gifts.

A team of Washington city employees including the county's emergency call center as well as police and fire departments - among others - will be continuing their 16th annual 'Everyone's An Elf” program of donating/raising funds to share with the community.

'It's good to give back,” said Cara Sorrells, 911 supervisor leading the program. 'The calls we get are not always positive, so it's good to do something more for the people.”

The money is raised by an annual bake sale the week before Thanksgiving and supplemented with the groups' 'Blue Jean Fridays” initiative through which employees donate money by opting to wear jeans to work.

Volunteers use the funds to buy, wrap, and deliver the gifts to the selected recipients just before Christmas. The group works with the officers in the neighborhood to select families and individuals in need through the program. Families in need can also request to be in the selection for the program.

Last year the group helped five families and four elderly individuals. This year they hope to increase that number.

In Fairfield, the police and fire departments partnered with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Libertyville Fire Department are offered families a chance to, 'Shop With a Hero” Saturday Dec. 7.

With support from groups like Elks Lodge 1192, Walmart, Hy-Vee and donations from the public, families are treated to a day of fun including holiday shopping, a pizza party and a visit from Santa. The event also included a merry ride down the streets in the service vehicles.

'We meet at the Elks Lodge and take our vehicles and it's like a parade down to the Walmart.” said Chief Scott Vaughan of the Fairfield Fire Department.

The group works with schools in the neighborhood to select 50 children and 25 families to participate. Cash donations are welcome from anyone who wants to take part in the giving.

The festivities are from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m.

The Mt. Pleasant Police Department in association with the Tolson Community Action Center and the Fellowship Cup will be sharing gifts with children through their annual toy drive Friday, Dec. 20.

Donations of new, unwrapped gifts are collected year-round and distributed to children from newborns to 17 years of age. The group also receives additional donations from the Toys for Tots organization in nearby Burlington.

All who are in need of assistance are invited to join Dec. 20: from 8 - 10 a.m.; from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.; from 12 - 2 p.m.; and 2 - 4 p.m.

'It's just a nice thing to help the families during the holidays,” said Carrie Cooksey-Alvarez, police department administrative assistant helping with the program.