Our Daily Show Interview! Christmas in July for Community Christmas on July 18th!
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GODFREY - Freer Auto Body will once again sponsor their Christmas in July event with the goal to raise over $75,000 for Community Christmas.
From 10:30–1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025, you can stop by Freer Auto Body in Godfrey to purchase raffle tickets and enjoy a sloppy joe lunch. All proceeds go to 17 local agencies that participate in Community Christmas to supply toys, clothing, hygiene products and more to area families.
“On Christmas Day, you get a warm feeling knowing that you helped. You really do,” said Margaret Freer. “If people haven’t been, they need to come and experience it. It’s a fun day. Little kids wait on you. It’s kids helping kids. The sloppy joes are the best you’ll ever have.”
For a donation, you can receive a sloppy joe, chips and a slice of Margaret’s cheesecake.
You can also purchase raffle tickets for $10 each. The raffle prizes include $3,500 cash, several vacations and experiences, Cardinals tickets, meals, and a side of beef, among other items. The top ticket-sellers will also receive “the best prizes ever,” Margaret said.
“Anybody who buys a ticket is a winner,” she added. “Anybody that buys a ticket, whether you win the $3,500, win the vacation, the side of beef — we’ve got great prizes this year — you’re a winner.”
Christmas in July is one of the Freer family’s events to support Community Christmas. Carrie Freer explained that her daughter Taylor started the event at age 4 when she wanted to hold a lemonade stand in memory of her uncle David, who loved supporting Community Christmas.
Over the past 17 years, the event has transformed into a major initiative, headed by sisters Taylor and Lily. With the community’s help, Freer Auto Body raised over $75,000 for Community Christmas last year. They hope to break that record this year, starting with the Christmas in July fundraiser on July 18.
Carrie emphasized that all of the money raised stays local and helps area families who need a boost during Christmastime. Each agency — including Riverbend Family Ministries, Riverbend Headstart, The Salvation Army, Crisis Food Center, The Autism Center, Operation Blessing, Catholic Charities, the Alton Boys and Girls Club, Centerstone, and more — has their own method of collecting and distributing items, but everything helps local families.
“They shop local. They shop here in town. The agencies show up and they shop with the money that is collected at this event,” Carrie said. “I’ve seen it. They really do come in, they shop, they spend that money that you guys help us raise.”
Margaret and Carrie encourage people to come out on July 18 to support Community Christmas. You can purchase raffle tickets at Freer Auto Body or by emailing CJ Nasello at cj@riverbender.com. For more information about Christmas in July, including how to get tickets or how to place to-go orders, call 618-466-6151.
