|Photo by Joselyn King| Suff. Bishop Darrell Cummings invites the public to the 33rd annual food, clothing and Christmas toy distribution beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at the North Wheeling Dream Center.

WHEELING – Suff. Bishop Darrell Cummings promises there will be more meat items available this time when the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple hosts its 33rd annual distribution of Christmas toys, clothes and food this weekend.

The event is set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the North Wheeling Dream Center, 807 Main St., Wheeling.

Guests can choose items to take home from among tables filled with Christmas toys and racks of clothing. They will also get to select from among 20 different food items being provided, according to Cummings.

“We are giving out hams, and we’ve ordered more,” he said. “We ran out of turkeys for Thanksgiving so we increased our order.”

Cummings said at Thanksgiving, the church was prepared to assist 300 families with many extra turkeys, but 500 showed up with many coming later in the day after it wasn’t possible to secure more turkeys for distribution.

In addition to the hams available on Saturday, other meat items will be available for those who don’t want hams, Cummings said.

There will also be fruits, vegetables, gravy, stuffing, and dessert items available.

“We are hoping we are showing the love of God to our community,” Cummings said. “The last time there wasn’t enough to meet the need, and we take sorrow for that.

“We’re hoping for Christmas we will do better.”

He noted the Christmas distribution typically costs between $15,000 to $17,000, with prices rising each year.

“The meat alone is several thousands, and that doesn’t include the canned goods, fruits and vegetables – and that is only one-fourth of our giveaway,” Cummings said.

“The church doesn’t have the money to do it on our own, it never has. It’s possible we will need more sponsors than ever before.”

Among those contributing this year are the Fitzsimmons Law Firm, Wheeling native and current Dallas Cowboy C.J. Goodwin, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and “several local churches,” according to Cummings.

“There are also individuals from $5 to more who have made a positive difference,” he continued. “We would be in so much trouble without them.”

The days leading up to the event have been particularly stressful for Cummings and the church.

Over the weekend, a water main line burst in front of the Dream Center, sending water into the basement where the distribution takes place.

Cummings said only a few boxes were damaged, and that no items to be distributed were touched.

He and volunteers have worked with Wheeling Water Department workers in recent days to push water and clean up the basement. While there is still some leakage, it is contained and under control, according to Cummings.

He said he was grateful to the Wheeling Water Department for their assistance, and to the volunteer “angels” who were on site.

Many of the toys this year were donated by the newly reorganized “Toys for Tots” campaign locally, and through a collection at the Ohio County Animal Shelter.

Still, Cummings worries if it’s all going to be enough. The church continues to purchase more items on its own.

“I believe in the layaway plan,” he said, meaning buy now and pay later. “If we need money, we’ll get it from somewhere.”