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Star Church offers holiday cheer

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">ELDORADO - The holiday season is a time for giving, and one Eldorado church spent Monday morning making sure others could share in the holiday spirit.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Star Church, located just off of Illinois 142 north of Eldorado, held its Clothes Closet Christmas Open House at the Town and Country Building for area residents who wanted to pick up some extra Christmas cheer free of charge.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Tables filled with Christmas decorations, children's toys, serving dishes and other items were set out by church members and helpers the night before.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">At 10 a.m., people began to file in and browse through the donated offerings.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Carol Hines, one of the church members who helps with the event, said Star Church has been receiving donated good and offering them to those in need since 2005.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"Originally, we did it out at the church on (Illinois) 142, but there was the issue of transportation," Hines said. "It was a little bit of a problem for everybody, so we moved here in '07."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Most Mondays, the church offers its Clothes Closet from 10 a.m. to noon at New Beginnings on Third Street. Before Christmas, though, the Clothes Closet has the Christmas Open House to offer things besides clothing and housewares, she said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Star Church Pastor Aaron Phelps said the mission of the Clothes Closet and the Christmas Open House is an important one.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"It truly is the most Christ-like thing we can do," Phelps said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">He also praised the organizers who spend countless hours managing donated items and arranging the open house.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"These ladies put a lot of time and effort into this, and we're very proud of them," he said.