Delta knows exactly what her 9-yearold daughter’s favorite Christmas present will be this year: roller skates.
“She’s going to open them and start screaming about the skates. She’ll be rolling on those things all day,” Delta said.
Delta, who had some health complications that have affected her ability to work, was one of the many appreciative parents who shopped for their children at the 26th anniversary of St. Vincent de Paul Louisville’s Santa Shop on Sunday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“They said we were angels,” commented Donna Young, Director of Volunteer Services and Conference Affairs.
With an army of 370 “angels,” SVDP was able to serve 253 families and 702 children, who received clothing, toys, books, games and even stocking stuffers at the mini-mall set up in the Family
Success Center gym.
There were a variety of volunteers doing their part, including 25 University of Dayton alumni, a grandma and her grandson manning the jeans table together, three Boy Scouts from Troop
327, and more.
Becca, who has served at the Santa Shop for more than a decade, said there’s no place she would rather be.
“It wouldn’t be Christmas if I couldn’t volunteer for this event each year because
it’s so rewarding for parents to have gifts for their kids to open on Christmas morning,” Becca said.
One such mother needed someone to care for her children this Christmas, especially after a house fire in August has made it difficult to make ends meet.
Kia helped her cousin, Antonia, shop for her two boys, 10- and 7-years-old, saying, “You could tell the people that gave gifts cared and put love into their shopping.”
And while many children were excited about what Christmas presents they were getting this year, one 10-year-old girl gave back. Karsen, who volunteered with her family at the Santa Shop, donated
$200 to SVDP. She is the youngest participant of the Broadway show “Hits! The Musical,” and each cast member was given $200 to donate to a nonprofit organization of her choice.
Thank you to everyone who gave financially or of their time to make the 26th anniversary of SVDP’s Santa Shop such a success!
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