Holiday From the Heart
Event helps children get presents for Christmas
Christmas wishes were answered Friday at the Junior League of Texarkana’s Holiday From the Heart event, which provided 50 children with $150 each to buy whatever they wanted at Walmart.
Junior League members teamed up with children from Liberty-Eylau and Pleasant Grove schools to shop. Shopping carts were happily filled with jeans, jackets, socks, shoes and a variety of toys—everything from Barbie to footballs and Legos.
The goal of Holiday From the Heart is to brighten Christmas for these children.
“We are helping children who may not have the Christmas that others have. We want them to have a good holiday,” Bennett said.
There is a lesson to be learned from the children. Even when they have the opportunity to focus on themselves and buy the things they want and need, many think of others. They share the kindness that’s been shared
with them by buying gifts for their brothers, sisters and other family members.
“It surprises me how often they buy for other people,” said Kaci Bennett, co-chairwoman of the event. “My girl last year bought presents for her brother, sister and parents. They’re supposed to be thinking of themselves, but they’re shopping for other people.”
Stephanie Wright of Junior League shopped with brothers Manuel and Miguel. They picked out clothing including jeans and a new jacket, toys and two scarves for their older sister, and several toys and board games.
Seeing the brothers’ enjoyment really touched Wright.
“We work so hard with our fundraising, and it’s nice to see the money at work and the smiles on their faces,” Wright said.
Junior League member Missy Lyda agreed.
“This is the part that makes all that hard work worth it—when we come out here and buy something for the kids,” Lyda said.
Helping with Holiday From the Heart has opened Lyda’s eyes to the needs that exist in the community.
“Sometimes it’s kids I know, and I didn’t know that this was something they needed. It makes me want to pay more attention to the people around us,” she said.
Children from different school districts are helped each year with Holiday From the Heart.
“It rotates every year to a different school district,” Bennett said. “We contact counselors at each school and let them pick the kids.”
For Junior League members, it’s a wonderful thing to see their hard work on Mistletoe Fair and other fundraisers culminate with the smiling faces of children.
“It’s my favorite event,” Bennett said. “It’s just fun to get to know the kids. They’re always so sweet.”
Many of the Junior League’s efforts to better the community focus on children with events such as Shoes for the Soul and Spring Into Reading.
“We’re focused mainly on children and helping those who don’t have it and can’t get it,” Bennett said.