Local non-profit brings the community together at Christmas gathering

The non-profit is the brainchild of former Lemoore graduates Justin Hite and Thomas Curtiss who several years ago decided it was important to bring local organizations and businesses together to help the community.

“What this organization does is it seeks to unite different community members, businesses and churches to put on events that help the community,” said Hite while perched at his command and control position in the Lemoore Senior Citizens’ Center, where a throng of volunteers from Kings Lions members to local church members wrapped presents, prepared meals, and put on quite the Christmas show. The actual preparation, deliveries, drive-ups and sit-down dinner took place most of Saturday afternoon and evening.

There was even a band at the dinner that evening that played Christmas tunes for the standing-room only crowd.

“In this case we’ve done a community Christmas dinner which sponsors about 1,500 families that come from Lemoore, Hanford, Armona and Stratford,” he said. “We’ve also got people from as far as Huron that come in, from Riverdale and the surrounding community.”

Hite said that the non-profit United has an annual goal to raise about $18,000 from churches, businesses and volunteers. They also collect presents and this year will distribute over 650 presents to families.

 The dinner itself consisted of chicken, green beans, rice pilaf, bread and desserts. Judging from the reactions of those who took part Saturday, they’ve must have liked it. Those who couldn’t make the Saturday night dinner were welcome to participate in the take-out program, driving their vehicles up to the center where a bevy of volunteers brought dinners and presents out to them.