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GRANVILLE - Christmas decorations are on store shelves and it's not even November.
Some like starting the holiday season early. Some don't care for it. Others are just trying to raise money so as many area children as possible will receive gifts.
The Town of Granville recently sent out letters to businesses and community partners asking for donations for its annual Shop with a First Responder program, in which it is joined by Star City, Westover and several first-responder agencies.
"We don't make the selection," said Latina Mayle, Granville executive administrator. "We let our participating schools know how many kids we can accommodate and they pick them."
Those schools are Mylan Park, Skyview and Suncrest elementary schools. Young students selected from those schools will shop with law enforcement officers from Granville, Westover, Star City, West Virginia University and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, firefighters from Granville and first responders from Mon EMS. Those are the municipalities and agencies, Mayle said, that have participated in the past.
Granville Mayor Patricia Lewis asked her council to plan to be there as well to help with behind-the-scenes duties, though sometimes they end up shopping, too.
"It is a long evening, but it's fun and we can use all the help we can get," Lewis said.
Mayle said Granville elected officials, some town staff and Star City Mayor Sharon Doyle have previously helped out on the shopping night. Though the date has been decided, it's being kept under wraps for now.
Mayle has records of the event back to 2011, when just 13 children each received $100 to go shopping for their wants and needs. Last year, about $16,000 was raised and 160 children received $100 each.
Mayle said they hope to raise $20,000 this year so they can give each child a little more money to spend.
Though the letters went out to businesses and community partners, individuals are also welcome to donate what they can. As the money arrives, organizers can determine the number of young shoppers they can help, but Mayle said they'll take donations any time.
"It trickles in until the time of the event," she said. "We've even had people come up to us in the store the night of the event and give us money."
Other participating agencies may also collect donations for Shop with a First Responder, but Mayle tries to keep it centralized. Donations can be sent to Granville or dropped off at Town Hall, 1245 Main St. Checks should be made payable to Granville Volunteer Fire Department with SWAFR in the memo line and mailed to Town of Granville, Attn: Latina Mayle, P.O. Box 119, Granville, WV 26534.
For more information, Mayle can be contacted at Town Hall at 304-599-5080.