Inside today: ‘Greetings of the Season’ section www.dailycorinthian.com
Sunday Dec. 25, 2011 $1.50
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 310
• Corinth, Mississippi •
Tonight
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Toy Store gives more than gifts BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Please see FOOD DRIVE | 3A
Today
36 pages • Three sections
Generosity overflows for annual food drive The community has responded to a tough economy with a record-setting outpouring of Christmastime charity. Organizers of the 16th annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket program extend their thanks to the community for raising a recordbreaking sum of money for the annual charitable program. “We wish to say how grateful we are to the community for supporting this program in record numbers,” said Rotary Club member and Basket Fund Chairman Ronnie Sleeper. On Tuesday, the Christmas Basket Fund reached $27,270, over $2,000 more than the original goal. The program provided 1,100 food baskets for local families, 200 over what was given away last year. “We couldn’t get to everybody who wanted a basket, but we feel like we got to everybody who needed a basket,” Sleeper said. All funds raised over the target amount will go into an account for next year’s Christmas Basket Fund, the project chairman explained. “People can be safe and secure knowing the funds will go toward the stated purpose,” he said. Since the Daily Corinthian office is closed today and Monday, donations will continue to be accepted through Tues-
Rain possible
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
A baby is born ... “And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger ...” Luke 2:16. Taking part in the recent Christmas Alive! program at First Presbyterian Church in Corinth were William Orman as the baby Jesus, Joel Parker as Joseph and Lauren Kate Drewry as Mary. With Christmas Day falling on a Sunday this year, many Crossroads area churches have planned special services for today.
For the staff and volunteers of the Lighthouse Foundation, giving back at Christmas time is about more than just providing gifts to families in need. It’s about helping those struggling families see the love of Christ and their community. “What we really want to do is be the hands and feet of Christ in a hurting world,” said Nan Green, who serves as volunteer coordinator for the foundation’s annual Toy Store program. The vision for the Toy Store began in 1994 when a group of local men decided to pool their resources and try to help make Christmas brighter for families in the community they knew were struggling. That first year of outreach taught them some valuable lessons and they saw the need to create different concept for a Christmas assistance program. Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director Gary Caveness said they saw that there was a need to help these families help themselves. “We wanted to empower these families to take care of their own families,” he said. The first Toy Store opened its doors in 1995 with this idea at its core. Families were brought in and given the opportunity to select gifts for their children themselves in a fun and supportive atmosphere. They were then given the opportunity, with absolutely no obligation, to pay what they felt they could if they Please see TOY STORE | 3A
What makes this Limited number of businesses Christmas special? stay open on Christmas Day BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
What makes this Christmas Day more special than those in the past? Daily Corinthian readers were posed the question and today families and friends gather together in the most anticipated holiday of the year. The overwhelming response was the special calendar rotation of 2011 as Christmas falls on a Sunday — the day for worship. There are many special church services scheduled today to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Other readers wrote of the special time of togetherness — the innocence of a seven-yearold sibling, the reunion with a mother and the surprise birth of two puppies. The examples are three of many special memories being made today. “Every season I think Christmas gets better and better,” writes
Heather Kuykendall of Corinth. Heather’s 7-year-old brother Lane “is a very special boy who has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and he has had many blessings this year.” Little Lane has been blessed with a community benefit and much support, notes his sister. “The real blessing is asking him what the season is about and he simple says ‘Jesus’,” adds Heather. “When a sevenyear-old says what the season is really about, it makes you really think. He has it all figured out and maybe we need to stop and listen to our little ones.” Of course, Lane is also a big fan of Santa. “Santa is a famous man in our house and if it makes Lane happy to see Santa, then Santa we will see,” adds Heather. For Vicki Mills Odle of Kossuth, today marks a special reunion. Please see SPECIAL | 3A
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Christmas may be the best time of the year, but it can also be the hardest time of year to find a store that’s open for business — especially when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. A limited number of businesses are open today, including Walgreens, New China Buffet and several convenience stores. Brandon Voyles, manager of Walgreens, said his store will be open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. today. While the pharmacy department of the story won’t be open for business, customers will be able to pick up some lastminute shopping items and forgotten necessities. “It’s amazing how busy we are on Christmas Day,” said Voyles. “We sell a ton of batteries.” In addition to batteries, Voyles said the store often sees Christmas Day customers looking to make last min-
Index Outdoors......8A Classified......4B Wisdom......2B
Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Television......5A Sports......6A
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
Walgreens — and store manager Brandon Voyles — will be open for business and ready to greet customers today. ute gift purchases. The large number of travelers out on the holiday makes Walgreens a popular and convenient stop on Christmas Day. “Walgreens is all about the
convenience,” Voyles said. There are a number of convenience stores that will be open either throughout the
On this day in history 150 years ago “Had hard tack soaked in cold water and then fried in pork grease. Fried in a canteen, split into by putting into the fire & melting the sodder off. We pick them up on the field left by other soldiers, also had coffee & pork.” — Pvt. Gilbert Barton, 14th Vt.
Please see OPEN | 3A