Three years ago the situation was dire. Just a few months from the holiday season, the long-time Secret Santa program hosted by the Lawrence County Department of Job and Family Services was struggling because of cuts to that agency.

In steps, the fledgling group the Lawrence County Young Professionals. With very little time to prepare or organize, the group began a feverish fundraising campaign by increasing community awareness and driving home the message of exactly how important the Secret Santa program was to the hundreds of Lawrence County families whose Christmases would be less joyful without it.

Three years later, the Young Professionals are still working hard on the Secret Santa program and are on pace to help as many as 600 children have a holiday worth enjoying.

But the group cannot do it alone.

It takes lots of money and volunteer hours to put this together. And it is not too late to help either.

Anyone who would like to lend a hand can contact Casey Baker, Secret Santa coordinator, at lcypgroup@gmail.com.

To make a contribution directly to the Secret Santa program, send checks to LEDC Secret Santa, C/O the Chamber of Commerce, 216 Collins Ave., South Point, OH 45680.

The Young Professionals group is a perfect example of how even a handful of civic-minded individuals who want to make the Tri-State a better place can do so.