GREENSBURG — The holidays are here, which means the more than 100-year-old Daily News Cheer Fund tradition is in full swing.
The goal of the Cheer Fund has always been to bring the joy of Christmas to needy children and their families in Greensburg and Decatur County. And without the help of fellow community members, the mission of providing presents, food, and clothing would not be possible. Essentially, it’s the combination of the Decatur County/Greensburg family coming together for one common goal: sharing the giving spirit of the holidays.
Recently, two local businesses joined in on the giving yet again by presenting checks to the Cheer Fund to share the giving spirit of the holidays.
MainSource bank donated $1,000 in honor of its employees.
Decatur County Memorial Hospital donated $1,500 in honor of the DCMH Board of Trustees and Medical Staff.
For 2016, the goal for the cheer fund was set at $53,500.
However, there’s still roughly $13,000 to go to reach that number as the fund currently sits at $40,628.10.
“With only having a few days left before Christmas, our donations have fallen considerably behind where we should be by now,” Daily News Cheer Fund Coordinator Shelley Barton said. “The extremely cold weather along with the snow and ice has hampered our bell ringing donations this year. Other cash donations are coming in more slowly than usual as well.”
In 2015, 707 children from 268 low-income Decatur County families received assistance. The Daily News expects to – at least – match that total this year.
If you’ve heard the donation bells ringing around town, that may have very well been one of the Daily News’ much-appreciated volunteers battling the bitter cold in order to better the lives of their fellow Hoosier. Local schools, organizations, and residents have all stepped up this season in more ways than one.
“We would like to thank all of the countless volunteers who are helping to make this year’s Cheer Fund deliveries possible…all of the individuals and local clubs that bell ring for us; all the stores and businesses who collect toy donations and the volunteers who pack them; all the parents, students and school personnel who hold food drives and all the volunteers who come in to sort and pack the food; and all the donors who give selflessly to this wonderful cause. It is truly a ‘community’ labor of love and is amazing to witness year after year,” Barton added.
The Daily News urges anyone in a position to donate to do so now and help many local families celebrate Christmas. Donations can be made via Paypal on the Cheer Fund website, cheerfund.org; by coming into the Daily News office at 135 S. Franklin Street; or by donating at a bell-ringing station. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the Daily News office as well. The sooner donations are received, the sooner Cheer Fund will be able to calculate how much assistance they will be able to offer each family.
For more information about how to get involved with the Daily News Cheer Fund, call 663-3111 or visitwww.cheerfund.org.
Contact: James Howell Jr., 812-663-3111 x 7011; james.howell@greensburgdailynews.com