As the holidays approach, there will be less gathering this year, but that doesn’t mean there has to be less connection and community.

Like most of our 2020 events, we are taking our Christmas Party & Food Drive online.

Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest & Food Drive

To participate, all you need to do is:

Take a photo of yourself in an ugly holiday sweater holding  items you plan to donate to the food pantry.

Email the photo to FLEX at flex@venangochamber.org.

Drop off your food drive donations by 12/21 to one of the following locations:

• St. John’s Episcopal Church (1145 Buffalo St, Franklin) – leave them on the porch of the Rectory (the house to the right of the church)
• Venango Area Chamber of Commerce (24 Seneca St, Oil City) – there will be a box inside; hours are M-F 9AM-4:30PM
• Raymond James – First Street Financial (6 East 1st St, Oil City) – the box will be inside here, too; hours are M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM

Can your business be a drop-off for donations? Email us at flex@venangochamber.org.

On December 14, we will share all the submitted photos to the FLEX Facebook page and have people vote with “likes” until Christmas. Winners will receive a gift certificate to a local business!

Volunteer Opportunity at Salvation Army

Also in December, FLEX is giving our time to the Salvation Army. From 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, FLEX will prepack food bags that will be distributed to area families who signed up to receive Christmas Assistance.

To keep volunteers safe, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced. Also, those wanting to volunteer MUST REGISTER through the United Way Get Connected site, because we are limited to 10 volunteers.

Learn more & sign up to volunteer at: bit.ly/FLEXVolunteer2020.

No matter what your holidays look like this year, we encourage you to support local organizations and businesses as much as you can.

If you’d prefer to limit your time out in public, some other ways to show support include:

• Like and share Facebook posts
• Give a positive review online
• Tell a friend about a local business you love
• Purchase gift certificates or local items online
• Order takeout
• Make a monetary donation

Although this year is different, it is still the “most wonderful time of the year” and we hope you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This article was published in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange’s (FLEX) December 2020 edition of the FLEX Your Ideas (FYI) Newsletter.