“Do we have any Slime?”
Such were the questions overheard this week in Santa’s workshop during the annual Peace Neighborhood Center toy distribution for families in need. ‘Santa’s workshop’, also known as a Peace Neighborhood classroom, is transformed into a Christmas toy wonderland thanks to the generosity of the community. Toys, games, dolls, puzzles … and yes, Slime … all stacked by category, ready for distribution to parents who need a little help providing a special Christmas morning for their children.
Peace’s toy distribution is a remarkable North Pole supply chain to behold.
Donated Christmas gifts are brought in through the front door by community members and stocked by Santa’s elves in Santa’s workshop. Meanwhile, through that same front door, parents looking for assistance this holiday season come to ‘toyshop’ and walk out with a bag of personally-selected gifts for their children. No sooner have those gifts left the building, when the elves — our Anna’s Kindness volunteers — have restocked the tables just in time for the next parents who walk in.
The only thing missing? A chimney, perhaps.
Thank you to our volunteer elves who worked two different shifts for Santa to help ensure every child had presents under their tree on Christmas morning. Anna’s Kindness volunteers included Skyline High School’s Sydney Sawyer, Gavin Morris, Pavel Hristov, and Anna’s brother Alex; Community High School’s Christopher Van Lent; Pioneer High School’s Hannah Link; Huron High School’s Chelsea Nguyen; and Forsythe Middle School’s Toby Colias.
A big thank you to our event co-hosts Leanne Hinz and Stacy Colias, and a special thanks to Bonnie, MaryAnn and their Peace Neighborhood staff for allowing us to take part in such a rewarding holiday volunteer opportunity.
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