NORTH VERNON — There will be no Santa’s Express train rides this year, no Christmas In the City parade, and no tree lighting celebration in North Vernon. Many holiday parties and dinners have also been canceled.
Though COVID-19 has squashed many traditional holiday activities, there are many individuals working to keep the holiday spirit alive in Jennings County.
Led by the Jennings County Youth Foundation, around two dozen people gathered at the Jennings County Fairgrounds and spent the day cooking 600 meals for food-challenged local residents on Saturday. The dinner at the fairgrounds would have been a sit-down affair, but the event was changed to a drive-through affair instead.
“We saw more COVID trouble coming so we changed our plans,” said Casey Ernst’s, director of the youth foundation.
The volunteers provided a hot dinner of ham, green beans, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing and rolls packaged in two restaurant-type carry-out containers for each participant.
The dinners were carried to the cars as people rolled by the community building.
Meals were also delivered to service agencies about the county.
After the completion of the dinner, Ernst and her volunteers shifted their attention to the project of raising money for the Affordable Christmas Shop.
The Affordable Christmas Shop is designed to give economically-challenged families the opportunity to get presents for their children. The group is selling $10 raffle tickets to raise more money to provide more merchandise for the increasing numbers of families in need of help.
A drive-thru food pantry is also planned next month.
Volunteers and sponsors with The Joy of Giving — Harmon Group, O’Mara Contracting, Ascension St. Vincent and Gleaners are busy preparing for the Joy of Giving Drive-Thru Food Pantry .
The free food giveaway will take place at the fairgrounds community building from 10 a.m. until noon on Dec. 5.
For more information, call Linsey Hensley at 812-346-2048.
If you know of a planned charitable event or effort to capture holiday spirit, send information to cckayellis@Yahoo.com
