By SAMANTHA PERRY
BLUEFIELD — Christmas spirit will shine bright today in Bluefield as hundreds of local children receive toys and goodies during the 90th Annual Community Christmas Tree party.
Sponsored by the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, the Community Christmas Tree provides gift bags filled with toys, fruit, candy, a book and clothing accessories to local youth who might otherwise go without during the holidays.
The campaign is funded by the donations of Daily Telegraph readers, who have contributed more than $32,000 to the fund drive this season.
More than 700 bags were prepared Thursday at the Bluefield City Auditorium in anticipation of today’s party. Participants included several members of the Bluefield High School state championship football team and coach Fred Simon, as well as dozens of other volunteers.
Today’s party begins at noon with entertainment by Don Whitt, Keith and Mark Pennington, Mark Stutso, Bill Archer and Karl Miller, Bill Gillespie and others.
Santa Claus will make his annual visit to the party at 12:15 p.m., and gift bags will be distributed from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Contributions to the Community Christmas Tree fund continued Thursday, with $975 donated. This year’s fund-drive total is now $32,125.05 — $4,625.05 more than the campaign goal of $27,500.
To contribute to the Little Jimmie fund drive, mail donations to: The Community Christmas Tree, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, P.O. Box 1599, Bluefield, W.Va., 24701; or bring them by the newspaper office at 928 Bluefield Ave., Bluefield.
Thursday’s contributions
Beth & Ernest Hays II ..$50.00
Anonymous ..................100.00
In memory of Gabar Nagy ...........................................25.00
Pounding Mill Quarry Corp. .........................................250.00
Bob & Carolyn Little .......50.00
In honor of Virginia Whitman and Charlotte Riffe, from Roy and Ann Riffe ....................50.00
The Willis Family ............25.00
In memory of Nathan S. Goforth, by Dr. and Mrs. Harold Goforth ...........................100.00
In memory of Ruth and Cecil Bond, by Mary and Bill Berry .........................................100.00
Carolyn S. Larj ............. 100.00
Todd and Ashley Stamper .........................................100.00
In loving memory of Jamie Leigh Ratliff, from the family ...........................................25.00
Today’s total .............$975.00
Previous total ......$31,150.05
Grand total ...........$32,125.05
