Annual Community Christmas Party a success, provides 1,800 gifts to area families in need

The Annual Kennett Community Christmas Party provided gifts to approximately 1,800 individuals from Kennett and the surrounding area. The event was hosted on Saturday and included refreshments and activities for children while the families waited for their turn to select gifts. Staff photo by Joshua Payne

The Kennett Community Christmas Party once again provided Christmas gifts for needy families, serving approximately 1,800 residents of Kennett and the surrounding area.

Chairperson of the Community Christmas Party, Malinda Harris, noted that approximately 1,750 people had registered for the event, but several people came in towards the end of the party.

She added that, throughout the community, $7,000 was raised for the event, along with approximately 100 volunteers being available to help the day of the party.

"[The event] went very well," Harris said. "Everyone was very appreciative and gracious and we had no problems."

She added that the event went "very smooth."

"We are just glad to help out so many from the community and surrounding area," Harris said.

She noted that surrounding cities with individuals attending the party included Senath, Mo., Holcomb, Mo., Caruthersville, Mo., Campbell, Mo., Malden, Mo., Cardwell, Mo., Campbell, Mo., and Hayti, Mo.

"I just want to thank the community for supporting the event and all the volunteers that helped that day," Harris said.

During the course of the Community Christmas Party, participants were allowed to go into separate rooms designed with gifts for either children, women, or men. While visiting the rooms, the children were able to select gifts for their parents, and the parents were able to select gifts for their children.

Following the selection, the parents would stop by another room and receive a blanket.

The gifts would then be transported to another station, which had supplies for wrapping the gifts.

The gifts could then be presented during the family's Christmas as being from the individual who selected them.

Harris said that her favorite part of the event was "watching a child pick out a gift for the parents or adults of the home."

She explained that this was her favorite because most of the children have never been able to give a gift to their parents on a previous occasion.

Harris noted that the event was a community effort.

"[This event] takes a lot of volunteers, I just happen to be the person who coordinates it, but it has to be a community effort," Harris noted.