This year, the Lions Club received such a bounty of donations to their annual Christmas basket effort, that they were able to donate to additional organizations including the food pantries of Christ Liberty Baptist Church, the Attala Baptist Association and the Sallis Baptist Church. That is on top of delivering 288 regular and 14 diabetic baskets to area residents in need and a regular food donation to Helping Hands.
More than 6,000 cans of food were put into baskets along with oatmeal, grits, peanut butter crackers, sugar, flour, mayonnaise, peanut butter, 
iced tea bags, spaghetti, crackers, macaroni and cheese, tuna fish, rice, instant potatoes, soap. There was also a blanket, a Bible, and toothpaste and toothbrush added. This year’s baskets also included many fresh items, including milk, eggs, margarine, hot dogs and rolls, bread, and a rotisserie chicken.
Much of the non-perishables was collected by the schools in Attala County, Renasant and Citizens National banks, the Kosciusko-Attala Partnership office and Premier Medical’s offices.
Farms donated the use of a refrigerated truck to park at the Coliseum, one of the main reasons the club was able to include so many fresh items in this year’s baskets.
“Our donations were up about 25 percent this year over last year, which made all of this possible,” said Owen Oliver. “We had such a bounty of food donations that we were able to share our blessings.”
Oliver said Lions Club members truly enjoy participating in this annual effort, though it takes a significant amount of work to organize and a busy week putting it all together in advance of the deliveries.
“This is a good outlet for people to get toward that Christmas spirit,” said Oliver.
