CULLMAN, Ala. – Custom classic cars rolled into Depot Park Saturday for the 33rd Annual Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show benefiting local charity Christmas Love.
“We’ve had donations and bought different things to auction off, we just auction to the highest bidder and everything we get goes back (to benefit Christmas Love). Anything we spend on or buy is out of pocket,” said one of the event’s organizers, Edith Smith. “One-hundred percent of everything from the auction goes to Christmas Love; anything that comes in, it goes back.”
Aside from the show and auction, a 50/50 raffle took place to raise even more money.
Another event organizer, William Criscoe, said, “I think it’s up to 42 right now,” when asked how many classic automobiles were on display so far Saturday morning.
“We just try to share our time the best we can to help somebody else,” said Smith.
What is Christmas Love?
Each year, a group of concerned Cullman area citizens works to make Christmas better for needy children and their families through a program called Christmas Love. Cullman Caring for Kids Executive Director Javon Daniel and Assistant Director Nancy Bryant sit on the board of the nonprofit program, although Cullman Caring for Kids and Christmas Love are two separate organizations.
Criscoe added, “Javon and Nancy, they’re good people- it’s a good organization to help out, and people support car shows and a lot of them will pass out fliers and they go, ‘Well, it’s a good cause, we’ll support it.’ People are looking for something to help. (Depot Park) is a good place, a good location and it’s a little brisk, but today’s a good day.”
Daniel told The Tribune previously about Christmas Love, “We average between 150 and 200 children every year that we help with Christmas. We start by buying them a complete set of clothing from top to bottom. That’s the first thing; that’s our first priority, is to make sure these children have warm clothes: warm coat, socks, underwear, pants, shirts. Then, after that, we start doing the toy part of it. They get a lot of stuff, and most of them- I’d say 99 percent of them- would not have a Christmas without Christmas Love, because Christmas Love, our whole mission is to make sure that children have a Christmas.”
Daniel explained that Christmas Love also helps with whole-family needs.
“And we also, in helping the children, if the family has needs, we try to help with those needs. One year, there was a family that didn’t have any way to cook, and we got somebody that donated a gas stove. And we carried it and set it down; we didn’t hook it up, because we’re not qualified. But had a grandmother one time asked for a straw broom, so I went out that day and bought a straw broom to make sure that family box had it.”
Organizers posted to Facebook Sunday: “Thank you everyone that came out yesterday, or contributed in some way. As of now we have raised a little over $4,700. We still have a few more contributions coming in. I will post a final total by the end of next week.”
Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
