To everyone, a Christmas gift

April Slaughter remembers what it's like to need a helping hand.
Years ago, she said she and her family were facing hardships and were assisted by community donations. Knowing that others out there helped her when she was down is something she said she'll never forget.
So on Thursday, Slaughter took her three children, Skylar, 16, Sydney, 14, and Seth, 13, to the Jericho Road Ministries 12th annual Christmas Eve Luncheon at the First United Methodist Church - not to eat, but to volunteer.
It wasn't something she planned. She and her children arrived that morning and introduced themselves to the Rev. Bruce Gimbel of Jericho Ministries and told him they were there to help.
"Years ago we got help from the community when we were in a bad spot and so we just wanted to do something for someone else," Slaughter said.
Serving an expected 500 meals - the largest number throughout the past 12 years - Gimbel said the event has become the largest the group puts together during the year.
While the event does serve families in need of a holiday meal, Gimbel said the event does more by providing a place to come eat for those who are lonely during the holiday season. He said some people have lost loved ones during this time while others are going through divorces.
In those cases, he said the luncheon is a place to enjoy a meal among the community.
"Some people are here because they raised their kids here while others just don't want to be alone," Gimbel said. "It's also for the volunteers as well as the people who come to eat. We like to see parents teach their children about giving back and then later on see those same children now as adults continuing that by coming here still to help out."
For those attending the event, volunteers - which included Jericho Road Ministries residents recovering from addictions and are homeless - took names and helped seat families who piled in for a cooked meal.
Other volunteers came from area businesses, churches and individuals and included such public servants as Hernando County Circuit Court Judge Richard Tombrink Jr.
Others helped those in the community who are homeless or otherwise in need of food. Some qualified to receive boxes of food while the children in attendance each received a present - all of which was made possible through community donations along with items from the food bank.
Dana Cutlip, a member of the Kiwanis Club of the Nature Coast, said that while running the event was hard work for all the volunteers, those attending made it worthwhile.
"When you see a child walk up and pick out a present - it just leaves you feeling great and knowing that you're making a difference," Cutlip said. "This is what it's all about."