Residents receive food, toys for Christmas

By Bert Lehman

Volunteer Lori Mattes with some of the toys that were given away at the Clintonville Goodfellows holiday distribution event. Bert Lehman photo

For more than 60 years the Clintonville Goodfellows organization has been providing area families in need with food and toys each Christmas season.

The organization’s annual holiday distribution event took place at Clintonville Lanes on Thursday, Dec. 17.

The prior day, almost 30 volunteers, including students from St. Rose St. Marys Catholic School, helped separate the food into boxes, and sort through the donated toys.

Volunteer Mari Hintz said 141 families would receive items during the distribution, with a total of 480 people being served.

“They receive at least a box of food,” Hintz said. “The bigger families get more than a box of food.”

She added that families with children also receive toys.

Other items available included hats, scarves, mittens, coats, and linen.

Joan Wilson, who has been volunteering at the event for 33 years, said all the items that families receive were donated by individuals, area charitable groups, churches, businesses, and students.

Volunteer Amie Good said donations for the distribution event were up this year over last year.

Wilson added, “This is my 33rd year and I have never seen this much.”

Hintz said the event was originally started in the 1930s by the Four Wheel Drive.

“They did it among their own employees,” Hintz said. “Around 1950 it became a community organization to coordinate efforts of the entire community. This organization (Goodfellows) has been doing it for 65 years in Clintonville.”

Good added, “We’d like to thank people who have donated to us and come and volunteer their time. It couldn’t be down without them.”