City of Laurel Celebrates Season of Giving

City employees have been getting into the Christmas Spirit by lending their support to local charitable organizations.

On November 3rd and 4^th, the Laurel Police Department hosted its 9^th Annual Food Drive in Memory of Chief Tyrone Stewart. Members of the LPD collected nonperishable food and cash donations at the Walmart Supercenter in Laurel from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

This year’s event generated a donation of four truckloads of food and $1,670.00 for the Good Samaritan Center’s food pantry and soup kitchen.  The Good Samaritan offers daily hot meals and pantry items to several local families throughout the year.

On November 16^th, Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee addressed the crowd at the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle kick-off event at the Laurel Mercantile. “They do the most good for the City of Laurel,” he said of the Salvation Army and their efforts year round to provide for those in need.

During the event, Jason and Keisha McMullin of the Laurel Salvation Army, unveiled the 2023 Red Kettle financial goal to raise $80,000 to help provide for local residents in need. Mayor Magee encouraged everyone to participate in this year’s fundraising efforts through volunteering and donating to the campaign.

On Wednesday, November 22, City of Laurel employees and city officials took up the cause to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at Grocery Depot on Leontyne Price Blvd. in Laurel. Later in the month, members of the Laurel Police Department also rang the bell at Walmart.

Additionally, the City of Laurel, has continued its sponsorship of the United Way’s Prancer Path. The Prancer Path is an annual fundraising event that allows local organizations to purchase and decorate a Christmas tree to be displayed in downtown Laurel. The finished display is free and open to the public throughout the Christmas season and funds raised go to support the United Way of the Pine Belt Region’s 18 partner agencies including the Foster Grandparents Program, Parents for a Drug Free Youth, the YWCO of Laurel, the Salvation Army, the Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention, The Domestic Abuse Family Shelter, the Good Shepherd Clinic, the Samaritan’s Closet and Pantry, and the ARC of the Pine Belt Region. This year, the Prancer Path opened on Tuesday, November 21^st and will close on January 1, 2024.