Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025
Vol. 6, No. 18
PCMExplorer Local People. Local Stories.
GREAT GIVING
Monroe play group organizes toy giveaway for the holidays
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer An idea for the holiday season blossomed into a successful event for Brittany Gumpert and Cara Wiig. A small toy giveaway grew into tables and tables full of trucks, games, plushies and more ready to find new kids to love and play with them, all for free. The two women run a weekly play group at The Gathering Place of Monroe and decided to expand on the toy exchange they had already been doing among group members.
“We wanted to do something for the community,” Gumpert said. “All of us moms in the
play group have already been exchanging things so we thought, ‘Let’s do things on a bigger scale.’”
New or gently used toys, books, games and GIVING | 2
Sharing the holiday spirit
Once the snow finished, families made their way to the Monroe Fire Department to visit Santa Claus
Santa and Mrs. Claus welcome excited kids at the Prairie City holiday event
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer A lot of big smiles, many Christmas wishes and even a few unsure tears were shared with Santa Claus on Dec. 13 during his annual visit to the Monroe Fire Department.
Veterans affairs will continue to hold monthly coffee meets with veterans ‘Coffee & Camaraderie’ encourages vets to get out and socialize with other vets For three hours on a Tuesday morning in the middle of November, veterans showed up to West Side Java to enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation. People could come and go as they pleased. At times the little coffeehouse was packed to the brim with veterans. Organizers say the event attracted about 100 veterans. They fittingly called it “Coffee & Camaraderie.” Jasper County Veterans Affairs Director Ray Maxey said the department will be hosting the event regularly on
PCM Elementary kids pick out the perfect gifts for friends and family at the annual holiday shopping day
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explore Toys of all shapes and sizes were available for free at a giveaway hosted by a Monroe play group.
Santa stops by the Monroe Fire Dept.
By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
BEST DAY EVER
the third Tuesday of the month. The next event is 9 a.m. Dec. 16 at West Side Java. Veterans can attend at no cost. Maxey said the purpose of the event was to get veterans out of the house and engaged. “To get them socializing with each other,” Maxey said. “Jasper County has a lot of veterans. So we’re just trying to make sure — especially with some of our older veterans — that they are engaged, have somewhere to go, something to do and come out with other people that talk the talk and walk the walk.” VETERANS | 3
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explore The cold couldn’t keep community members away from the Prairie City Celebration Committee holiday event Dec. 13 at the Prairie City Community Building. A tasty meal, holiday craft and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus highlighted the annual seasonal gathering.
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explore While more than a few of the kids had to be reminded that they weren’t shopping for themselves, the excitement the kids had picking out gifts for friends and family was palpable during the annual holiday shopping day for elementary students Dec. 12.
Monroe newspaper’s new owner championed local holiday shopping, church activities 145 years ago Speical to the PCM Explorer from Larry Hurto Thanksgiving having “come and gone,” the Monroe Mirror seemed resigned to the fact that “December is here,” in its Dec. 3, 1880 issue. “Only a short time until Santa Claus comes.” A week later the newspaper reflected the intelligence that “Christmas and New Year come on Saturday this year.” It was John Vandermast’s first Christmas since becoming editor and proprietor of the paper in October of 1880. Publisher Ralph Robinson, of The Newton Journal, considered the Mirror “greatly improved” under Vandermast’s leadership. “We predicted that Mr. Vandermast would bring the paper out if any one could, and he is fulfilling our predictions.” The Newton National concurred: “The Monroe Mirror has been very much improved since Bro. Vandermast has hold of the crank.”
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Larry Hurto Collection “Can’t You Talk!” was a “very popular picture” and subject of this advertising trade card PRESENTED BY A. WILLSEY, Monroe, Jasper County.
Cold winter winds seem to have plagued the country south of Newton in the weeks before Christmas. “Several ladies had some of their nicest plants nipped by the first cold
blizzard,” the Mirror reported. “The season of the year has come when storms and snow is expected, and happy is the man
Single Copy $1
NEWSPAPER | 3