12/15/2025
Merry Christmas everyone. Just so you know up front, this may be a little long. But it is something that has been on my heart to share so here we go.
Fist of all I want to thank God for all the many blessings that He has bestowed on me, my family, my board members, volunteers and the community that we serve.
I want to thank God for leading me to go onto the Walk to Emmaus, and for the many talks that were given during this 3-day event. I want to thank Michael Wood for his story (Christian action) on how the original Spirit of Giving got started and for allowing me to bring it to Hunt County. I want to thank the Greenville Lions Club (which Renee Francey and I were members of when we started the Spirit of Giving) for hosting the event in the early years.
During our first years of existence, we struggled just like all new organizations do in the beginning. We started out at the farmers market in downtown Greenville and by our 3rd year we had moved to the Hunt County Fairgrounds. With God’s grace and mercy, we are still moving forward today. We are truly a 501(c)3 organization
We managed to continue to grow and have our event (even if it wasn’t like years past) during COVID. Because we wanted to help those less fortunate than us. Last year 2024 was one of our hardest and saddest years because we lost one of our co-founders Renee Francey due to stage 4 stomach cancer. She was my rock and always encouraged me to continue the event every year. Renee was an inspiration not only to me but to so many people who knew her. We were always in the community trying to do what we could to make someone’s life a little easier even if it was just for a little while.
After Renee’s passing, I wanted to do the event, but my board members wanted me to step back because of everything that I had been through earlier in the year and thought that it would be too much for me to handle. (I love my board members) Trust me I fought tooth and nail, but I finally agreed to pause it last year.(that’s why we have a board, to guide us and keep us on track and no one person can make the decision by their self) Now that I have had time to sit back and reflect on everything that had transpired last year, I’m glad I did. I guess the thing that finally got me to give in was the words that was said to me by a very wise person (a wonderful board member) and it still sticks with me today.
She said to me “Chuck” you need some time to grief, besides “We need a strong leader and right now you can’t be that”) These words still choke me up today. And you know what? She was right. Thank you, Mrs. Judy Bench, I love you to the moon and back.
Sometimes we go through things that we don’t understand, then God sends you an angel to see you through it. “But God” is all I can say!
God knows what He’s doing, sometimes we just need to get out of the way so God can be God and let Him do what’s He does.
So here it is, December 2025 and we just finished up our 14th year of The Spirit of Giving aka “Whoville” which we renamed this year’s event and years to come as being our theme in honor of Renee Francey, due to the fact that she loved the “Grinch”. I know because I have pictures showing that she was kissing and hugging him (lucky guy)
We here at the Spirit of Giving Hunt County want to thank all our volunteers, community sponsors, and our toy drop off points for all the love and support that you have shown us throughout the years. Remember “WE CAN’T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU”
These are the wonderful companies who deserve recognition for supporting our event this year.
L3 Harris (employees)
Bottlecap Alley
Prestige Benefit Group
Cornerstone Insurance Agency
Ashen Rose
Penske Truck Rental
Fire For The Lord BBQ
The Church at River Oaks
Kadee Tree Farm
Lone Oak ISD- All 3 Campuses
Southern Serenity Psychiatry & Counseling
Texas Roadhouse
Planet Fitness
Brookshires
Fish Ministries
We are very humble, and truthfully grateful for everything.
We have made different changes this year, we have had yard sales to raise money to buy more toys for the people we help (because we cannot continue to put all our eggs in one basket like we have done in the past. We don’t receive grants, or government assistance because then get to tell me who I can and can’t help and I won’t let this organization to be tied down like that.
So, we look to the community for monetary donations. If you would like to donate, please let us know and we can direct you.
And we will be making more changes in the coming year; with one change, we will now be doing a membership drive to get more people involved (become members) to come up with bigger and better ideas to help grow the Spirit of Giving Hunt County in a way that we can continue for years to come.
We would love to get more churches involved, more non-profits involved. “We can work better together instead of against each other”.
We all strive to accomplish the same goal. What can we do to make our community better and how can we truly help the families in our community.
If we truly care for the families in our community as we know we all do, then we need to come together and help each other instead of fighting against each other instead of trying to find a way to make our name shine higher above everyone else.
When the Spirit of Giving Hunt County says “EVERYTHING STAYS IN HUNT COUNTY” it truly does. You can’t get anymore Hunt County than holding your event at the Hunt County Fairgrounds. Just my own personal opinion.
Besides, the Spirit of Giving Hunt County doesn’t just do toys. We do other things besides toys, we have clothes for all ages, we have household items, furniture, and appliances. Are they new? No but they are items that you would normally find at a yard sale.
We try to supply help for our community in any way that we can. Sometimes the small items are what brings a smile to a family that doesn’t have anything. We are humble enough to help a family that is less fortunate than we are.
There are only two requirements that The Spirit of Giving Hunt County has.
1. You must live in Hunt County and only Hunt County
2. When coming to our event if you want your child to receive new toys “they must be present”
Our motto has always been and will continue to be
We don’t care how young or old you are,
We don’t care how rich or poor you are,
We don’t care about the color of your skin.
Everyone is welcome to come.
1 John 3:16-19 tells us
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
Renee Francey picked out this song to be the Spirit of Giving song years ago that we play each year before we get started:
Light Of Christmas Owl City featuring TobyMac
Read these words as you listen to the song.
Build a snowman with the wind at his back
Got the day planned and presents to wrap
Fight the wind chill with all of my friends
′Cause it's Christmas time again
Going downtown and spreading good cheer
Handing gloves out, when we volunteer
For the children, grinning from ear to ear
Singing Christmas time is here
And everybody′s like ha ha ha, ho ho ho
Four wheel drivin' through the snow
Fight the cold with some hot cocoa
Grab a grandma, to the mall we go
And there's a man outside with a bucket and a bell
Wants to go home with a story to tell
And he′s reminding us
That his Christmas got nothing to do
With living for himself
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don′t have it so good
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don't have it so good
Light me up and I′ll show you the way
Every year can't wait for Christmas day
Light me up, I finally figured out
What Christmas is all about
Here′s a gift card for your new winter coat
'Cause the backyard is covered with snow
And the sleigh rides, they don′t cost a cent
Yeah, it's Christmas time again
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don't have it so good
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don′t have it so good
Light me up and I′ll show you the way
Every year can't wait for Christmas day
Light me up, I finally figured out
What Christmas is all about
Do you hear the sound?
A 1000 angels are singing out
To God almighty we′re bowing down
And that's what Christmas is all about
Do you hear the sound?
A 1000 angels are singing out
To God almighty we′re bowing down
And that's what Christmas is all about
Light me up and I′ll show you the way
Every year can't wait for Christmas day
Light me up, I finally figured out
What Christmas is all about
And everybody's like
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don′t have it so good
Light of Christmas shining through
Our eyes, our smiles, you know it could
Shine on through
All good that we do for the people that don′t have it so good
Light me up, I finally figured out
What Christmas is all about
All good that we do for the people that don't have it so good
I finally figured out
What Christmas is all about
Again, Everyone at the Spirit of Giving Hunt County are very humble and blessed by every hard-working person that takes time out of their busy schedule to comes together and make this event happen for our community. Thank you ~ Chuck Francey President /Founder
