Samaritan Center keeps children happy for fifth year

As a grandma, Sally Johnson wants to have some nice things for her grandchildren who live with her to open on Christmas.

This is the third year Johnson has been able to pick out gifts through the Santa's Workshop at the Samaritan Center while receiving groceries and other services.

Monday was the first of two weeks the room will be open for parents and guardians to select two toys for each child under their care age 13 or younger.

Johnson also brought along her neighbor Zach Feilbach for the first time.

She helped him find vehicles and dolls for his four children, ages 3-11.

"I'm impressed with the variety -- it's better than what I expected," Feilbach said. "I found what they definitely will enjoy opening up -- Barbie dolls and cars."

The fifth annual Santa's Workshop on Monday alone provided toys for 125 children from 49 families.

Last year, 966 children received Santa's Workshop gifts -- but these families are not part of the center's Adopt-a-Family program.

Local individuals and businesses donated many of the items and the rest the center purchased through independent fundraising, said spokesman Ben DeFeo.

About 2,000 items are needed this year, so donations of items approximately $10 in value may be made at the center through Friday.

"It's not hard to get people to help kids," DeFeo said. "Everybody wants kids to have a good Christmas."

For the older children, board games, athletic gear, make-up and CD players sat in the back.

The assortment for younger children was more diverse including, Spiderman action figures, Dora the Explorer dolls, vehicles and make-believe items.

Volunteers like Angie Vogel will greet clients and help them find the gifts that are gender and age appropriate.

"You see how happy it makes the families," Vogel said. "They can take some really nice gifts to put under their tree."

As a preschool teacher at First United Methodist Church and the mother of children ages 4 and 7, Vogel said this program is easy to identify with the need.

"You know how happy this type of program is going to make some of the kids in town," Vogel said.

For Johnson, she had weekly income that she was planning on to allow for Christmas in addition to her regular budget.

But three months ago she was laid off, so this year more than in the past, Santa's Workshop has helped her provide for her loved ones.

"This means happiness, joy and knowing the kids will get to get up and have something," Johnson said.

Cheri Lewis picks out gifts for her children from the Samaritan Center's Santa's Workshop Monday. Donated gifts are given to needy families each year in the store. (Stephen Brooks/News Tribune photo)