COAL GROVE — Friday marked the start of the Christmas shopping season and it is also the time people begin increasing their charitable donations for holidays.

As they do each year, members of American Legion Post 433 took advantage of the increase in holiday traffic to collect funds for veterans in area nursing home.

A donation drive was conducted on the corner of Marion Pike and South Third Street.
Post Commander Frank Murphy said they get a wish list from veterans in the county’s five nursing homes and try to meet heir needs.

“We buy sweatsuits, clothes TVs, stereos — we even have some who want dress clothes to be buried in,” he said.

Murphy said the group collects for about 70 veterans and the gifts are delivered on the Saturday before Christmas.

He said anyone who wants to contribute can send a donation to the post headquarters at 310 S. 3rd St., Ironton, OH 45638.