OBU held the “Bison Community Christmas” event Dec. 10, generating donations for five area non-profits just in time for Christmas.

Community members dropped off donations in front of Thurmond Hall on the Oval, while OBU employees, students and family members greeted them and collected their donated items.

Donations at the Bison Community Christmas

At the Salvation Army in front of their Rescue Christmas efforts, from left: Amy Price (Salvation Army advisory board member), Miriam Bell (United Way of Pottawatomie County), Captain Stacey Connelly (Salvation Army), and Jill Thomas

At Mission Shawnee, from left: Miriam Bell, Ryan Brooks (Mission Shawnee executive director), and Jill Thomas

Project SAFE, from left: Renee Clemmons (Project SAFE executive director), Miriam Bell, and Jill Thomas

Legacy Parenting Center, from left: Lacey Holt (Legacy Parenting Center executive director), Miriam Bell, and Jill Thomas

At the Salvation Army with food donation, from left: Miriam Bell, Captain Patrick Connelly (Salvation Army), and Jill Thomas

OBU Community Makes Positive Impact on Shawnee Area with Christmas Supply Drive

January 6, 2021

With Christmas plans different for everyone this year, the OBU community hosted a special food and supply drive in lieu of the usual Christmas festivities that take place on campus. The University held the “Bison Community Christmas” event Thursday evening, Dec. 10, on the Oval on the university’s campus in Shawnee.

The idea behind the event was to gather donations for five local non-profits, to be a blessing to the community and give back to the Shawnee area. Community members donated non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army; diapers for Legacy Parenting; school supplies for Mission Shawnee; home and personal care items for Project Safe; and canned food and non-perishable food items for the Good Things Food Pantry, an on-campus ministry ending food insecurity for OBU students.

OBU's First Lady planned the event, working in tandem with Miriam Bell, executive director of United Way of Pottawatomie County. They delivered the donated items to each partner agency the week before Christmas. The Salvation Army received two packed grocery carts full of food, while Project Safe received several bags and boxes of personal hygiene/ self-care supplies. Mission Shawnee received a box of school supplies, and Legacy Parenting received 668 diapers, eight packages of wipes, 54 clothing items, four blankets, and some baby food. The Good Things Food Pantry received approximately 15 bags worth of groceries.

The University would like to thank all of those who participated, whether by donating, by helping with details for the event, or volunteering to work at the event.