By Kate Kimmel
The excitement was palpable at the Peck Center on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, as Nassau County residents lined up their cars around the block for the Elm Street Sportsman Association’s drive-thru Christmas ham giveaway.
Holiday music played as volunteers directed traffic and recipients pulled up to tables stacked high with collard greens and bagged hams. By the end of the afternoon, more than 230 households had driven away with hams, greens and happy faces.
About 30 volunteers helped carry out the event, most of whom are members of the Elm Street Sportsman Association. They were helped by Fernandina Beach police officers, City Commissioner Genece Minshew and members of a Kingsland-based motorcycle club. The volunteers waved cars forward, exchanged greetings and worked to keep the drive-thru line moving steadily.
Before the first vehicle entered the line, organizers paused for a brief program. Wendall McGahee delivered an invocation, followed by the presentation of a $15,000 check from Rayonier Advanced Materials to the association. RYAM General Manager McKinley Ravenell presented the donation, with Parks and Recreation Director Scott Mikelson offering remarks before turning the microphone over to ESSA President Wayne Peterson.
Peterson officially opened the giveaway by thanking volunteers, sponsors and community supporters who helped make the event possible.
“This is a reminder that when we unite around a vision, nothing is impossible,” Peterson said. “Thank you to all our sponsors, our team and everyone who believed in our mission.”
He closed by quoting his late basketball coach, Johnny T. Smith: “All for one, one for all. Together we stand, divided we fall.”
Sponsors included local businesses and numerous individual donors. Throughout the afternoon, volunteers focused on efficiency, ensuring cars flowed smoothly through the drive-thru while recipients received their holiday meals.
While the holiday season often brings celebration, it can also add financial strain for families facing the cost of special meals and gifts. Peterson said one conversation after the event underscored the significance of the giveaway.
“One mom with four boys told me that because of the ham and greens, she could focus on setting up Christmas for her kids instead of worrying about what they were going to eat,” Peterson said. “That’s what this is all about.”
The Christmas ham giveaway is one of several community events hosted by the Elm Street Sportsman Association throughout the year. The organization will sponsor the Martin Luther King Jr. parade and breakfast in January and later hosts events for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Planning for next year’s ham giveaway will begin in February, Peterson said, a process the association is already eager to begin.
kkimmel@nassaunewsline.net
