GAINESVILLE - Months of planning and preparation for The Salvation Army in Gainesville culminated Saturday with the agency's annual Christmas distribution.
This year The Salvation Army distributed food and toys from a vacant warehouse at the old Chicopee plant on Atlanta Highway. Danielle Cunningham with the Salvation Army said the donation of that site allowed the ministry to serve a total of 706 families this year, 100 more than last year.
"Last year we had to serve out of our gymnasium at our facility [on Dorsey Street] and it was just too small, and we needed to serve more people, but we just couldn't," said Cunningham.
Cunningham said that included in those 706 families are 2,000 children, so Toys for Tots stepped in with donations of extra toys for those children.
Despite the extra space at Chicopee, traffic did jam Atlanta Highway for a time as cars lined up for the distribution. Lt. Matt Cunningham, the commander of the Gainesville post, said everyone was patient with the process.
"We haven't had a single problem," he said. "We've been here since 7:00, cars have been lined up and we haven't a single problem with anybody being ill or in a hurry."
Of course, serving those additional families meant that The Salvation Army needed additional volunteers and dozens were on hand to help. Danielle Cummingham said about 60 volunteers had signed up to helped, but she estimated that many of those brought friends to lend a hand.
Among the volunteers was Donavun Jackson of Gainesville, who spent his day loading heavy food boxes into carts for other volunteers to take to waiting vehicles.
"It's busy...it's hectic," he laughed.
Jackson said he had also assisted with the Army's Red Kettle campaign this season, and the entire experience had been good for him.
"It feels good," he said. "Feels pretty good."
Saturday
October 19th, 2024
1:35PM
