Local business owner gives back with food drive

July 31, 2019 | Danielle Eaton
DanielleE@thereminder.com

Dozens of Jeeps decked out in Christmas decorations showed up for Mike’s Auto Service and Repair’s annual Christmas in July Jeep Parade.
Reminder Publications photo by Danielle Eaton

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Dozens of jeeps decked out in Christmas lights, garland, and giant ornaments paraded down River Street in West Springfield on their way to deliver donated food.

The Christmas in July event initially began three years ago, as a way for a small group of people to give back to the community, Mike Zabik, owner of Mike’s Auto Service and Repair told Reminder Publishing.

During the first year they hosted a small food drive, decorated their vehicles in holiday lights, and drove down to Rock 102’s Mayflower Marathon drive to donate what they had collected.

On July 23, Christmas once again came to the town of West Springfield, and while the primary goal was to give back to the community, it looked quite different than when it first started three years ago.

It was no longer a small group of people donating to a food drive. This time they were the food drive, and they had the community behind them. Over the last two years Zabik said it has grown from a small group of people wanting to donate to a large event that usually collects between $3,000 to $4,000 worth of food.

The parade was the culmination of a month-long donation drive within the community to support the Parish Cupboard, a non-profit organization that provides an emergency food and hot lunch program for residents of both Agawam and West Springfield. Starting at Mike’s Auto Service and Repair, the parade of festive vehicles made its way down River Street, Park Street, and then Main Street on its way to the Parish Cupboard to deliver the collected food.

Each year, the event has seen the support of the police, the fire department, and other community members. Dozens of jeeps and vehicles have turned up from miles away each time, adorned with holiday decorations to participate in the parade. Zabik said during the 2018 event, Skips Outdoor Accents and AllState Fire Equipment found out the Parish Cupboard needed a shed and then teamed up to donate one to them.

Zabik expected this year’s event to be just as big, and the community did not disappoint. Dozens of Jeep owners once again showed up to participate in the parade, people all around the community donated food, and people poured in the American Legion in West Springfield for the after party.

The American Legion Post 207 allowed people who didn’t have a jeep to decorate, or just wanted to watch, to gather on the front lawn. The location, which also served as a drop off location for food donations, hosted the after party and gave guests the opportunity to enjoy music by the Arc City Angels.

When asked why Christmas in July, a holiday not often associated with the summer months, Zabik said he wanted the event to serve as a reminder to help the community all year round, not just during the typical giving season.

Martha Tighe, executive director of Parish Cupboard Emergency Food Program, said the need for donations and help exists year-round. Monetary, boxed food, canned food, and other food donations are always welcome and help significantly as the cupboard runs on donations.

The event, in addition to being described by Tighe as “an event that is just plain fun,” also serves another purpose as well: to let the community know the cupboard exists. 

“We’re not very big, tucked away in a corner, so it lets people know we’re here,” Tighe told Reminder Publishing.

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