GOOD HOPE — One of the area’s businesses helped bring some joy to local families by buying around $3,500 of Christmas presents for Good Hope students.

Employees from Nexan Building Products bought the gifts as part of Good Hope’s annual Christmas Love program that works with Good Hope schools to give presents to children in need.

During Monday’s meeting of the Good Hope City Council, Mayor Jerry Bartlett said this is the sixth straight year that Nexan has bought presents for local children, and the company’s employees are always glad to help out.

“They do so much,” he said. “They just saw the need, and they liked it and did it.”

In other business, Bartlett reminded the council that the city is hosting its annual Christmas parade and Christmas in the Park Saturday. 

The event was originally scheduled for December 8, but the city delayed it for a week because of the rainy weather.

The parade will begin at the entrance to the Good Hope High School football field at 2 p.m. and travel along Good Hope School Road and County Road 437 before ending at Good Hope Municipal Park, where the city will host Christmas in the Park.

Chili and hot dogs will be served, while Santa Claus will be at the park pavilion for pictures with children.

There will be a station to make Christmas ornaments and gingerbread cookies will be available from Sunflour Bakery. Other attractions include a hay ride and a train ride, and the city will have snow machines on hand to get the area into the Christmas spirit.

The Good Hope City Council will next meet on Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Good Hope City Hall.