Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: When is Operation Santa’s Sleigh lighting up the Dayton VA?
Make time for New Year's Eve Silent Disco & Ball Drop on the Dayton Patch calendar
Hello again Dayton! We’re bringing you the latest town highlights. Don’t miss out, keep going! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- When is Operation Santa’s Sleigh lighting up the Dayton VA?
- Why Dayton’s Riverway Summit just won top honors statewide
- How did Miami Valley shops really fare after this year’s holiday rush?
Also on today's calendar: New Year's Eve Silent Disco & Ball Drop and 6 more events.
Find out what's happening in Daytonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Daytonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Saturday: Cloudy and cooler, with a high of 49 and low of 41 degrees.
- Sunday: Rain and a thunderstorm, temps: high: 67, low: 26.
- Monday: Cloudy, windy and much colder, with a high of 30 and low of 18 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
📰 News we're reading
1. Operation Santa's Sleigh to visit Children's Hospitals and the Dayton VA (xeniagazette.com) — Dayton-area families with loved ones at the Dayton VA should know that Operation Santa’s Sleigh is stopping there as part of a statewide first-responder caravan bringing holiday cheer to hospitals and veterans’ facilities. Lights-and-sirens visits, plus donated toys and essentials, aim to remind patients they’re remembered during the season, even though donations are being collected only in Columbus for Ronald McDonald House. 
2. 2025 Riverway Summit wins statewide recognition (sidneydailynews.com) — Dayton just earned statewide recognition as host of the 2025 Riverway Summit, which won first place from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association for environmental programming. The event drew hundreds of regional leaders and thousands of residents to explore riverfront revitalization, conservation successes, and ways to expand safe, equitable access to the Great Miami River corridor.
3. Miami Valley small businesses recovering from holiday rush, thankful for business (wdtn.com) — Small businesses around Dayton and the wider Miami Valley are catching their breath after a hectic holiday rush that brings in most of their yearly sales. Shop owners, including one in Germantown, say local customers provided strong support and value the personal connections they can’t get from big-box stores or online giants like Amazon.
4. Trotwood City Council's 2026 budget approval leads to layoff of five firefighters (dayton247now.com) — Trotwood’s newly approved 2026 city budget will eliminate five firefighter positions, raising concerns about slower response times and added strain on neighboring departments that assist the city. Union leaders say the cuts follow the end of a federal SAFER grant and plan to meet with city officials in January to explore ways to keep the remaining firefighters employed.
5. Brighten Initiative helps youth address homeless hygiene gaps (wdtn.com) — A youth-led nonprofit is getting hygiene kits into the hands of homeless residents across Ohio, including through a growing partnership in Dayton. Teen organizers behind the Brighten Initiative pack products themselves, run donation drives, and are launching a Brighten Youth in Action program to teach younger students about hygiene while giving them local volunteer opportunities.
📸 Around Dayton
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Dayton
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- Be Hope Sunday Service
Be Hope Church , 1850 N. Fairfield Rd. , Beavercreek
9:00 am - Faircreek Church Sunday Services
Faircreek Church , 2400 Faircreek Ridge Dr , Fairborn
9:15 am - Choose Your Own Adventure Read-Aloud Book Club
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek
5:00 pm - Zumba at Full Circle Wellness
Full Circle Wellness , 2340 Grange Hall Rd. , Beavercreek
5:30 pm - Noon Year's Eve
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek
11:30 am - New Year's Eve Silent Disco & Ball Drop
The Brightside Music & Event Venue , 905 E 3rd St , Dayton
8:30 pm - New Year Blind Box
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek - Wii Play Day
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek
12:30 pm - Wolf Moon Howl
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek
6:00 pm
Sunday December 28
Monday December 29
Wednesday December 31
Thursday January 1
Saturday January 3
📣 Dayton Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Crafty Kids
Wright Memorial Public Library , 1776 Far Hills Ave , Dayton
10:00 am - Gingerbread Workshop
Beavercreek Community Library , 3618 Dayton-Xenia Road , Beavercreek
11:30 am - Be Hope Saturday Service
Be Hope Church , 1850 N. Fairfield Rd. , Beavercreek
5:30 pm - DJ SWARLY SOUNDS LIVE! — Little York Tavern & Pizza
Little York Tavern & Pizza , 4120 Little York Rd , Dayton
8:00 pm
Saturday December 27
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Dayton PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- UPDATE: He returned home today!
Thank you all for your help. My cat went missing yesterday around 5 PM in the University Row area. He is very friendly but is asthmatic. Anybody… (Nextdoor University Row) - Loose dog, a beautiful husky, no collar, very sweet disposition, but sad and lost.
Seen near Old Lane Park in Woodbourne Green neighborhood. (Nextdoor Brittany Hills/Woodbourne)
- Sam's Club posted a job opening for Merchandise and Stocking Associate in Dayton. Apply here.
- Ohio Staffing posted a job opening for Summer Custodian in Dayton. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Dayton here.
Ok Dayton! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I have no idea. I didn’t even know sheep could knit.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
👉 Help make Patch AM better
- Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
- Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
- List items for sale or services offered
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.