A gang of Iola businesses and nonprofits made the holidays a little brighter for 53 youngsters and their families Thursday.
Through Walmart’s Adopt-A-Family program, the retail and grocery store along with Hope Unlimited, Dudley’s Done Right Barbecue, Modern Woodmen of America and Party Girls gave a bunch of Iola families a Christmas they won’t soon forget.
For the second consecutive year, Walmart, with the help of Hope Unlimited, came up with a list of local families facing tough economic times and made sure they had a joyous Christmas.
Hope Unlimited’s Donita Gardner said her organization uses various social and law enforcement agencies when choosing which families will benefit, and a couple of the families were actual Walmart employees.
As the 22 families shuffled into the New Community
Building Thursday evening, the kids’ faces lit up. The children and their families were greeted with smiles from the organizers and sponsors as well as a spread of all the fixings of a traditional Christmas dinner — ham, rolls, potatoes, green beans, cookies and a 12-pack of Coke. Dudley’s provided the meal and Party Girls the dessert.
But what really got the kids going was the 40-foot table covered with presents, all bought and wrapped specifically for each one of the children.
Walmart assistant manager Shandie Wrench said store employees were assigned families and given a budget and a Christmas wish list. They then bought toys and clothes and just about anything and everything on the lists, she said.
“Some of the associates even spent their own money on gifts,” Wrench said.
After receiving the meals, a Santa sighting meant it was time for the children to get the goods. One by one, the children approached ole St. Nick, some more timid than others, and were given their presents.
Wrench said Thursday’s holiday giveaway was a raving success, especially because the event organizers and sponsors were able to make double the impact of last year’s philanthropy effort.
“We wanted to broaden our efforts,” she said, referring to the 11 families involved last year.
“Last year, we decided Dec. 1 that we were going to do it. This time, we decided in January so we were able to put back a little more money this year.”
Gardner agreed.
“Walmart did an awesome job trying to make sure that everybody has a great Christmas and we are really happy about it,” she said.
Being able to provide local families with nutritious, hot meals and presents to boot — things they might not otherwise have enjoyed this holiday season — is what the holidays are all about, said Marshall Barnhart, owner of Dudley’s.
“We’ve been blessed by the community with two years of great business. We’ve got to give it back somehow,” he said, describing a pay-it-forward mentality. “Give. Get. If you quit giving, you quit getting.”
