Crossville Boots on the Ground will host its annual Christmas dinner and giveaway Saturday at the T. A. D. Center
Founder Pauline Chaney said she and her husband founded the outreach in Kentucky, helping a few people before moving to Tennessee. Chaney said they look forward to putting on the event with the help of Pomona United Methodist Church, as the dinner and giveaway helps people through the holidays.
“We were actually reaching out, we were just finding people that needed help and we were trying to help like four or five families,” Chaney said. “And then we just figured out a way that if we could find a building inside town that we could rent to do this, we could reach way more.”
Chaney said the event is to help any community members needing clothing, food or gifts for their children this holiday season. Santa will give gifts for the children and gospel singers will provide entertainment. Chaney said this will be the fifth year of the event. Chaney said the event is a big day of fellowship.
Chaney said the event gives the outreach an opportunity to help people who could not provide gifts for their children on Christmas. Chaney said locals off of the street come in and have a warm meal. Chaney said 250 people attended the event last year. Chaney said the outreach begins preparations for the dinner in May or June. Chaney said the church makes a donation to help with food for the guests and gifts for the children, making up for what the outreach cannot purchase on their own.
“It’s really a major impact in the community,” Chaney said. “It has been ever since we’ve started it.”
Chaney said the outreach buys toys in different age groups. Chaney said there are special instances, where children will receive special gifts.
“Now that if there’s some special, that, they’re not going to have any Christmas at all,” Chaney said. “If they can tell me and let me know then we try to work with that to do something to help those special kids.”