October, November, and December are my three favorite months. They depict love, beauty, and sharing. Most people are more kind to everyone during these three months. It is during this time you find out about little acts of kindness, big acts of kindness, and unsung heroes.
One big act of kindness is the Elf Station held in December. The Elf Station was started by Sheran Casey. Her partners were Flo Cleburn and Donna Hester. The Elf Station is located on West Main Street in Mickey’s House. The hard work of these ladies and staff is unbelievable. The decorations, the preparations, the donations are momentous, but the giving of the ladies’ time is inspirational.
The children of Trinity receive toys for Christmas and go shopping for presents for their parents, thus creating the next generation of adults’ kindness and generosity. The event is Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for ages 0-17 years. They have already registered more than 200 children for this year’s toy drive and are expecting many more for this year. Last year Elf Station served 424 Trinity children at Mickey’s House.
Each year the Elf Station presents their Top Elf Award for partnerships and generosity accomplishing the Elf Station’s mission statement and goals. Last year the award went to Mike Finn, posthumously, for his initiative, Hucks Heroes.
Mike Finn had a passion for helping people in need throughout the year, but especially during the holidays. He combined this passion with his love for food and wanted to make sure everyone was able to enjoy a delicious meal on Christmas Day.
In 2022, with the help of his friends and family, lovingly referred to as the Lake Crew, they all pitched in and helped provide Christmas Dinner Baskets to 16 local families that were selected by Elf Station and Mickey’s House. While they were extremely happy with this, Mike wanted to go bigger for Christmas 2023.
Sadly, Mike Finn passed away in June 2023. However, his wife Norene and daughter, Char, wanted to make sure Mike’s vision would come to life and feed one more family that in 2022 so they took up the cause on his behalf.
According to the Huck’s Heroes pamphlet, many friends and family members from Indiana and Trinity expressed an interest in joining Mike’s vision and continue the cause to going forward. They decided that it would be more than just the Lake Crew donating, so a new name was needed, and this is where the title, Huck’s Heroes, was created in 2023, in honor of Mike’s nickname, Huck.
In just one month, a total of $3,635 dollars was collected from generous friends and family and allowed a tremendous number of families to be blessed in Christmas 2023. They accomplished their goal, and 43 families were blessed with this endeavor.
If you are interested in becoming one of Huck’s Heroes, please call Norene Finn at (765) 430-8343 or Char McWilliam at (317) 517-4570.
Another unsung hero from our community is Stella Arnold. She has collected Toys for Tots for years, and this year became focused on helping Mickey’s House with the Elf Station by hosting a hamburger dinner fundraiser. She raised a lot of money on this occasion and Elf Station was proud to have another champion for their cause.
The event was held at Westwood Shores Subdivision, and those residents are community supporters as well as generous donors to local charities and clubs.
• Many Trinity churches are heroes too. Not only do they provide services to the Trinity community at Christmas time, but they provide services year-round. The wonderful food banks, resale shops, and medical donations are a few of the wonderful contributions our churches give back to the community.
Two very generous and giving donors to the needs of Trinity City and County residents are the Little House and the Good Samaritan House.
Many churches have food banks, and some specialize in items for health and non-food items like diapers for newborns.
I listed the food banks located in our county earlier in the year, but they need to be listed again at this time of the year.
Trinity county food banks and pantries:
Liberty Christian Center Food Pantry, 101 W. Main St., Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon
Loaves and Fishes Food Bank, 198 N. Robb St., first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; third Monday of each month, 2:30 to 6 p.m.
Ladies in Action 125 S. Main St. in Groveton, third Thursday of the month, 8-10 a.m.
Remnant Faith Church, 5544 FM 356 in Trinity, every Friday, 9 a.m.-noon
• November dates and activities
Nov. 11, Veterans Day
Nov. 11, VFW Breakfast for Vets, VFW Poppy Sale
Nov. 19, First Methodist Church Dinner with Friends
November 19-21, Dorcas Wills Missionary Baptist Church basket sign-up
Nov. 20, Trinity Lions Club Meeting
Nov. 25, TISD Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day
Nov. 29, Black Friday
• December dates and activities
Dec. 2, Thanksgiving Break Ends
Dec. 7, anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Dec. 7, TPCC Christmas Show
Dec. 7, VFW Eddie & Maxie Dance
Dec. 8, KoC Blood Drive, Brookshire Brothers
Dec. 14, Dance, Trinity Community Center
Dec. 14, Mickey’s House Elf Station
Dec. 14, VFW Dance, noon to 4 p.m.
Dec. 23, Early Christmas Release
Dec. 25, Christmas Day
Christmas Applications have been mailed. If you did not receive one and wish to participate, please call me at (936) 537-8171.
Also, the parade form is available at All Around Electrical Servies. No entry fee. First prize in 6 categories is $250.
See you at the Christmas show.
