Pineville Restaurant Helping Kids This Season

Nikki Williams felt called to help out area children, so she launched a project to make sure they had something to open on Christmas Day.

Williams and her husband Robert decided to use their restaurant, The Greenes Bar and Grill in Pineville, as a platform to give back.

Williams was dismayed to learn that the McDonald County Angel Tree Project is not taking place this year.

According to its Facebook page, the Angel Tree Project will not provide assistance for the 2021 Christmas season. Those involved in the project are considering different options, as it seems other agencies are now offering similar services, volunteers posted.

Williams felt the call to help, in light of that void this year. She asked the White Rock Elementary School's secretary to help identify some children who might need some extra items this holiday season.

Armed with a list of 17 children, Williams and Lori Keene are lining up donors and needs to successfully brighten the holidays. By last week, four of the 17 already had been adopted. Thirteen children remain, whose needs include everything from shoes and pants to shirts.

"We really want to be able to help. It might be a family going through a hard time. People fall on hard times and there's no shame in getting help," she said.

Anyone who wants to donate can find the needs posted on The Greenes Bar and Grill's Facebook page, or by bringing cash to the restaurant, 48 Little Missouri Drive, Pineville.

Williams has set Dec. 15 as the cutoff date, to allow for ample time to shop.

The restaurant also will give back by hosting a Thanksgiving dinner at 6 p.m., free to anyone who would like to attend.

Williams said she has enough food to feed 100 people.