Pam Dudding-Burch
Contributing writer
Something special seems to happen every year at the Annual Headstart Christmas Party. Eyes are filled with hope and smiles are very much locked in.
On Friday, December 15, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) hosted a Christmas party for the Headstart children of Craig County. Wanda Reynolds shared that they have been hosting this event for over 30 years.
Most of the 17 children in the Craig County Headstart program were able to attend. They seemed very excited about the appearance of Santa when he came in the school cafeteria. Some ran to him while others made a mad dash to their parents to let them know he was there.
Santa didn’t even get to his chair before he was surrounded by kids inquiring about what he had in his big red bag. His HoHoHo’s didn’t take long. Santa, played by Neil Stamper, continued to smile and made a concerted effort to attend to every child.
All the kids gathered around him, and Santa shared the story of the ‘real’ reason for the season of Christmas, the birth of a baby named Jesus. “This is the best present you can ever have,” he said. “If you always remember Jesus in your heart, you will have the best Christmas you can have.”
After that, it was gift giving time. As Santa called out each child’s name, most ran excitedly towards him. Santa spent special time with each child. “My, you have grown since last year,” he told one child.
The children seemed to stand up taller each time he said that. When Santa started to ask them if they had been a good girls or boy this year, they started bobbing their heads before he could even finish his sentence.
The FBLA worked diligently to raise funds this year and bought each child a personalized vetch learning and drawing board. “You can enter the child’s name, and it will teach them how to write their name on the doodle board,” Reynolds explained. The FBLA also had a drawing for a gift bag for one of the parents.
Students from the FBLA class were Santa’s happy elves, helping him with the gifts and handing out candy canes. Also, everyone was served homemade cake which the school’s cafeteria made, along with cheese doodles and red Christmas punch.
“This is such a nice thing they do for the kids,” one parent shared. “It is all that my daughter has talked about this week.”
Santa got lots of hugs and smiles. “I feel like UPS this year,” he exclaimed with a laugh.
Afterwards, the kids got to pose with Santa and give him their letters and wishes. Reynolds and her students agreed that the joy they got to share with the kids was absolutely priceless. “It was definitely a ‘Merry Christmas’ for me,” several FBLA members agreed with sweet smiles.
[ad_2]
Source link
