CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY FOR SOME

Instead of arriving in a sleigh with eight reindeer, Santa's helpers delivered gifts in trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles. And for residents in Scott and Bollinger counties, the gifts were a welcome surprise.

Canned vegetables, boxes of cereal and stuffing mix, cookies and candies lined the floor of the Catholic school gymnasium where members of the Scott City Volunteer Fire Department gathered Thursday morning to sort food and make baskets.

In about two hours, 15 volunteers from the ambulance district, public works department and fire department had sorted enough food for 77 boxes, with some leftover canned vegetables and cookies.

Each box was filled with cereal, flour, sugar, milk, eggs, a turkey and an assortment of canned goods. Area businesses and organizations donated money to the fire department's food basket program.

The boxes were then delivered to elderly residents or needy families in the city.

Each year a local grocery store provides turkeys at wholesale cost, said Fire Chief Les Crump. This year the delivery truck was about an hour late making its delivery, which delayed the department's basket-making.

"We had cars lined up for about two blocks," he said, adding that about half the boxes were picked up while the remaining boxes were delivered by volunteers.

"It's been a big community effort," Crump said, adding that the program began at least 25 years ago. "It started with the Jaycees and once their charter ended a few years ago, we just picked it up."

In Bollinger County, residents also received a surprise Christmas gift. The Bollinger County Sheriff's Posse delivered 100 fruit baskets to elderly residents. This is the first year for the program.

"It's our way to show that they are not forgotten," said Bollinger County Sheriff Dan Mesey. "We've had several tear up and say they didn't even think anybody knew they were still alive. The most important thing is to let them know they are not alone."

And the sheriff's department has a unique way of offering security through its emergency notification cards.

In addition to the pineapples, oranges, apples, bananas included in each fruit basket, the posse enclosed an emergency notification card. The card provides emergency personnel with directions to a home, the name of a relative and important medical information for the elderly residents of the county. About 300 residents are registered through the computerized system, Mesey said.

While the baskets were being delivered Thursday, about 15 Scott City youth were preparing for a trip to Kansas City. The group will deliver food to the homeless during its two-day trip to the area.

About 15 youths from First Assembly of God Church will walk the streets of downtown Kansas City to feed about 200 homeless people. The group leaves today and will return Saturday after a visit to an orphanage and home for unwed mothers.

"I felt a weight on my heart to teach what the Christmas spirit was," said Dave Trumcone, a youth minister at the church. "It's so commercial. This is doing something to show the real spirit."