More donors needed to ring holiday ‘Chimes’ as telethon winds down
More donors needed to ring holiday ‘Chimes’ as telethon winds down Posted: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:23 pm
By CHRIS MENEES Messenger Staff Reporter With just one night of a fund-raising telethon remaining, Chimes for Charity is still less than halfway toward reaching this year’s $45,000 goal. Chimes for Charity — the Union City Jaycees and J’Cettes’ 74-year-old program to help less fortunate families and individuals around Obion County at Christmas — has received a significant boost from this week’s telethon, which began Monday night and ends tonight. Wednesday night’s Chimes program received $5,777.34 in pledges and donations, bringing the three-night total raised so far this week to $19,655.68. The total includes $4,604 raised Monday night and $9,274.34 collected Tuesday night, according to Chimes secretary Lindsay Frilling. Chimes still needs $25,344.32 in order to reach its $45,000 goal — all of which will be used to provide food, clothing and toys to those in need. The radio and TV telethon has been presented from 6-7:30 each night at Second Baptist Church in Union City and has been broadcast live on AM radio station WENK-1240 and on a one-hour tape delay (7-8:30 p.m.) on local television station WOBT. During the show, listeners and viewers have been asked to phone in pledges to benefit Chimes as they enjoy quality entertainment provided by several local school and church groups. The community may also choose to enjoy the entertainment in person tonight from 6-7:30 by being a part of the audience at Second Baptist Church, located at 831 North Everett Blvd. Chimes pledges are often made in honor or in memory of loved ones and many audience members choose to make their contri-butions in honor of loved ones who are a part of the groups providing the nightly entertain-ment. The pledges are announced during the program by the emcee and his guests. Donations to Chimes for Charity may be mailed to P.O. Box 661, Union City, TN 38281. Officials with the organization ask that donors honor their pledges as quickly as possible in order for the funds to be available to help those in need this Christmas. Each night this week, three different school or church groups have provided entertainment for the four-night telethon program, and different guest speakers have joined emcee Jim Adcock. Wednesday night’s program featured the host Second Baptist Church’s Preschool Choir and K-5th Choir, as well as Troy First Baptist Church’s Children’s Choir. Second Baptist pastor the Rev. Eddie Mallonee gave the invocation and Adcock shared the microphone with guests Clint Wilson and Catherine Nailling, 2008 Chimes co-chairmen; and Larry Storie, 1982 Jaycees president. Preschoolers will headline tonight’s final Chimes telethon program, with Kare Bear Preschool to perform from 6-6:30 p.m., Pleasant Valley Preschool from 6:30-7 and First Friends from 7-7:30. The invocation will be given by the Rev. Andy Blackwell, pastor of Crosswind Church, and Adcock will welcome as his guests Obion County Director of Schools David Huss; Ron Green, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Tennessee-Union City unit; and Steve Goodrich, a past Jaycees member. Chimes will also benefit from non-perishable food items and toys collected beginning tonight at the annual Santa’s Village at the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex. Santa’s Village will run from 6-9 p.m. tonight and Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 worth of non-perishable foods and/or toys, which will be distributed to several local organizations that help those in need at Christmas. Volunteers may work on behalf of the Union City Jaycees and J’Cettes at Santa’s Village from 6-9 p.m Friday. The more workers present, the more Chimes will benefit from items collected, according to a Chimes spokesman. Several businesses in Union City are also serving as drop-off locations for toys to be distributed by Chimes. They include Van Heusen at VF Outlet at 601 Sherwood Drive; First Citizens Financial Plus at 501 South First St.; Union City Housing Authority’s Community Center at 1409 East Main St.; the Obion County Public Library at 1221 East Reelfoot Ave.; Advanced Gastroenterology/Dr. Kofi Nuako at 1109 East Reelfoot Ave.; and Celebrations by Sheila at 125 East Main St. Chimes’ projects in the community include shopping tours to provide new winter clothing for Head Start, elementary and junior high children; the distribution of toys to the children treated to the shopping tours; and the Christmas Eve delivery of food baskets to less fortunate families and individuals across Obion County. Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by e-mail at cmenees@ucmessenger.com. Published in The Messenger 12.11.08
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