Route 66 Main Street Mingle

12/17/2025

Come on fam. We can do this.

🚨🎄 FINAL 48 HOURS — NORTH MAC, LET’S FINISH STRONG 🎄🚨

We are officially down to the last 48 hours before the North Mac Christmas Meal Project, and we are calling on our community one last time to help us cross the finish line. ❤️

✅ The hams are covered.
Now we need help completing the meals with the remaining side items — or monetary donations so we can purchase what’s still needed locally.

⸻

🧺 ITEMS STILL NEEDED

• Scalloped or Au Gratin Potatoes
• Stuffing
• Green Beans
• French Fried Onions
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Cornbread or Biscuit Mix
• Pineapple Slices
• Pasta Salad (optional but appreciated)

💵 If shopping isn’t possible, monetary donations are just as helpful and will go directly toward purchasing these sides.

⸻

📍 WHERE TO DROP OFF FOOD OR MONETARY DONATIONS

🇺🇸 GIRARD

Food + Monetary:
• Docs Off 66
• Design-A-Dress
• Oak Hills Country Club

Food Only:
• Center Stage

⸻

🇺🇸 NILWOOD

Food + Monetary:
• The Iron Sleds

⸻

🇺🇸 VIRDEN

Food + Monetary:
• Country Financial
• Neatos Elements
• A Marc Above
• Kaylee’s Café
• Oh-So-Cute Boutique

Monetary Only:
• Austin Chiropractic
• The Wildflower Patch

Food Only:
• The Zone
• Jamie’s Jewelry
• Freedom Chevrolet

✨ Anywhere you see the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors logo is an official donation location.

⸻

🎄 MEAL DISTRIBUTION DETAILS

📅 This Saturday
🕐 1:00 PM
⏰ Please do NOT line up before 12:30 PM

📍 Distribution Locations:
• 75 meals at the Girard Food Pantry
• 75 meals at the Virden KC Hall

⸻

💚 North Mac community — this is our moment.
Together, we can make sure no family goes hungry this Christmas.
Thank you for giving, sharing, and showing up for your neighbors.

Neighbors feeding neighbors — always. 🎄❤️

12/15/2025

Let’s do this as a community. We got this.

🚨🎄 FINAL 5 DAYS — NORTH MAC COMMUNITY, WE NEED YOU 🎄🚨

We are officially down to the last five days to complete the North Mac Christmas Meal Project, and we are reaching out one final time to ask for your help. ❤️

We are preparing 150 complete Christmas meals for local families (75 for Virden & 75 for Girard).
The hams have already been ordered through County Market, but we still need help covering costs and completing each meal.

💚 WHAT WE STILL NEED MOST:
• Monetary donations to help pay for the hams and remaining expenses
• Side items to complete each family’s Christmas dinner

Even $5 makes a difference.
Anything you are willing to give — big or small — truly helps us reach the finish line.

⸻

🧺 ITEMS WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING

(All items should be easy to package)

Sides & Fixings

• Au Gratin or Scallop Potatoes
• Biscuit Mix (add water preferred)
• Green Beans
• Stuffing
• Pasta Salad
• Crispy Fried Onions
• Cream of Mushroom Soup

Glaze & Packaging Items

• Brown Sugar
• Pineapple Slices (6 oz cans)
• Disposable Foil Pans (8x8 preferred)
• Honey (packets or small bottles)
• Tinfoil

🍖 We are NOT accepting hams — those are already ordered.

⸻

📍 WHERE TO DROP OFF DONATIONS

🇺🇸 GIRARD

Food + Monetary Donations:
• Docs Off 66
• Design-A-Dress
• Oak Hills Country Club

Food Only:
• Center Stage

⸻

🇺🇸 VIRDEN

Food + Monetary Donations:
• Country Financial
• Neatos Elements
• A Marc Above
• Kaylee’s Café
• Oh-So-Cute Boutique

Monetary Only:
• Austin Chiropractic
• The Wildflower Patch
• Jamie’s Jewelry

Food Only:
• The Zone
• Freedom Chevrolet

✨ Anywhere you see the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors logo — that is an official donation drop location.

⸻

🏢 A MESSAGE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES:
If your business donates food or monetary support, your name will be included on the sponsorship insert placed inside every single Christmas meal.
This is a meaningful way to support local families while being recognized for your generosity.

We are so close.
With your help, we can make sure 150 families sit down to a warm Christmas meal. 🎄❤️

Thank you for giving, sharing this post, and supporting your neighbors when it matters most.
Neighbors feeding neighbors — alway

07/22/2025

🎪✨ A Note from the Girard Festival Days Team ✨🎪

As we count down the final days until Girard Festival Days 2025, we want to take a moment to speak from the heart.

This year, we’ve made a few small changes to how the festival is run — and yes, that includes adjustments to a few prices and activities. But here’s why:

Over the past few months, a dedicated group of volunteers has been meeting every other week — often more — planning, organizing, and working tirelessly to bring you an event filled with new, exciting, and FREE (or low-cost) activities for kids, families, and community members of all ages. 💛

🎈 From balloon animals and face painting to photo scavenger hunts, contests, and free games — many of the new experiences you’ll enjoy this weekend are completely free because we worked hard to make that happen.

With that said, we ask everyone to remember:
👉 Girard Festival Days is a fundraiser — the one big fundraiser we do each year to support the Girard Chamber of Commerce.
This event helps us give back to the community all year long. It funds initiatives, supports local events, and uplifts the very town we all love.

So yes — some things may look a little different this year. And if a price has changed, it’s not to take away — it’s to make more possible. 💡

We also want to gently remind everyone that this event runs on volunteers — and they’re few and far between. If there’s something you don’t love or want to see changed, we welcome your voice. In fact, we invite you to be a part of the planning team next year. Help us shape the future of Festival Days.

Because at the end of the day — this isn’t just a festival.
It’s a celebration of community. It’s an opportunity to come together, to lift each other up, and to create memories we’ll cherish for years.

Let’s continue to show grace, support, and gratitude to the people behind the scenes who make it all happen — and let’s make Girard Festival Days 2025 the best yet. 🎉

With appreciation,
The Girard Festival Days Planning Team

10/31/2024

Lots of goodies for tonight. Come see us on the square infront of the shop. There will be other business out on the side walk as well.

10/31/2024

We will be open today from 10am-7pm. 25% off - plus candy and treats for the kiddos.

10/28/2024

Exciting news from Neatos Elements! We’re thrilled to announce our move to 216 W. Jackson Street, Virden, Illinois! To everyone who has shopped with us, donated, dropped by, or even just shared a post – we cannot thank you enough. Your support has truly kept us going, and from the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful. This new location means so many new possibilities for our communities, and we couldn’t be more excited!

We’re almost there, with less than $1,500 to go! While we’re still taking orders and open for shopping, we’re also running two raffles and have a GoFundMe to help us reach the finish line.

Current Store Hours
Open regular hours through November 26th:

• Tuesday: 10 AM - 2 PM
• Wednesday & Thursday: 10 AM - 5 PM
• Friday & Saturday: 10 AM - 6 PM

We will be closed November 17th-25th and then reopening at the new location on November 26th with new hours!

Save the Date for Our Grand Re-Opening!
Join us Saturday, November 30th, from 10 AM - 6 PM for a celebration filled with vendors, sales, prizes, and more! The raffle draw happens at 3 PM.

Raffles & GoFundMe Links:

• Win a Session with Nita Raffle: Link
• Win a Potbellied Pig Raffle: Link
• GoFundMe: Support Neatos Elements Expansion

Shop online anytime: neatoselements.com

Can’t wait to welcome you all to our new home! https://neatoselements.com/

Big News at Neatos Elements – Our Grand Reopening! We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve officially received the keys to our brand-new location at 216 E. Jackson St. in Virden! While we’re putting the final touches on the space, we’re gearing up for our Grand Reopening on Saturday, Novembe...

10/05/2024

Today,

It's our 3rd Annual Halloween Faire,
You know the drill come dressed up and ready to have fun.

🎃👻 Join us for a spooktacular time at the Route 66 Main Street Mingle Halloween Party on Saturday, October 5th from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Virden Town Square! 🎃👻

🕸️ Trick or Treat at booths from 11 AM to 3 PM
🕸️ Costume Contest at 3 PM - show off your creative costumes!
🕸️ MC Build-A-Buddy Workshop
🕸️ American Legion - Bbq Pork Chops
🕸️ Art Booth with sand art & painting, Photo Booth, Kettle Corn, Virden Park Iniatitive Baked Goods, Crafts, Shopping, Games for the Kids, Glitter Tattoos & so much more!

Bring the family and enjoy a day full of Halloween fun! 🎨🍬🎉

See you there! 🧙‍♀️🕷️

Thank you to our Sponsors:
Neatos elements
DnR Graphics
Docs Just off 66
Showtime lanes
Kaylee cafe
Jamie's jewelry
Jo's Place
SB insurance
Silvernicks
Hangers of Hope
Allgood Designs
Ad Astra Wine and Tapas Bar
DD Balloonery
The Zone
The Slyfox
Hendricks Home Furnishing
Rose Garden Salon
Dr. Arlen Magelitz DPT
The American Legion
Virden Hardware
Main Street Tire
Neighbors Black Powder

10/03/2024

Thank you Nina Christopher Ayers for doing this it’s greatly appreciated.
Illinois Times Events for October 5th Route 66 Main Street Mingle 2024

09/30/2024

We are over the moon to have WC Build A Buddy join us for our 3rd annual Halloween event, this Saturday Oct 5th. Trick-or-treating at booths, costume contest at 3pm, games, crafts, and vendors

Come see me at the Pec Thing today or tomorrow and check out all the fun Buddy Halloween costumes. I will be making lots of smiles!

09/30/2024

We are so excited for Saturday, this will be our 3rd Annual Halloween Event and this year is no different. Crafts, trick-or-treating, games, vendors and sweet treats. We have just a few things left on our list for this year's event and if you care to donate any items here is the Amazon list.

09/28/2024

🎃👻 Join us for a spooktacular time at the Route 66 Main Street Mingle Halloween Party on Saturday, October 5th from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Virden Town Square! 🎃👻

🕸️ Trick or Treat at booths from 11 AM to 3 PM 🕸️ Costume Contest at 3 PM - show off your creative costumes! 🕸️ Art Booth with sand art & painting, Photo Booth, Kettle Corn, Baked Goods, Crafts, Shopping, Games for the Kids, Glitter Tattoos & so much more!

Bring the family and enjoy a day full of Halloween fun! 🎨🍬🎉

See you there! 🧙‍♀️🕷️