“Santa Came!” Clara shouted as she jumped on mom and dad’s bed, *“Come see!” she squealed in delight. Dad pulled Clara in for a long hug, kissed her neck, and sent her into a giggle fit while mom gently climbed out of bed. Together, they rushed into the living room to see the magic of Christmas. Cookies sat half-eaten on the table next to an empty glass of milk. The fire crackled in the stove. Everything seemed perfect. John, Clara's older brother, joined in on the excitement and raced over to find a brand new, fire red pedal bike! “No Way!” he shouted as he buckled the matching helmet on his head, “I cannot wait to take this for a spin!”
By this point, Clara had ripped open one of Santa’s gifts to find the most sparkly unicorn ever! “Ahhh,” She screamed, “I love it so much!”. Mom and Dad were filled with joy as they watched the scene unfold.
You probably relate to this experience; however, not everyone does. Sadly, there are kids who do not know the joy of waking up on Christmas morning to find the present they’ve been dreaming of under the tree. “Maybe this will be the year Santa comes!” They wonder as they lay awake Christmas Eve. They are humble in their requests, a doll for Laura, and a set of colored pencils for Sam. But when they wake up in the morning, the house is cold, the fridge is empty, and there are no presents under the tree.
Thankfully, Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army are changing the narrative. Dawn Bennett, born and raised in NorthEast England, is currently heading up the Toys for Tots program in Mesa County. Having lived in an orphanage until the age of 2, and being a nanny later in life, she is passionate about helping children. Toys for Tots, a United States Marine Corps (USMC) founded organization, was just the program she was looking for when she moved to Mesa County.
As the Toys for Tots coordinator, she looks forward to Christmas every year. She says it's her busiest season and often tells her own kids, “Sorry, Toys for Tots comes first!” While sorting through applications to make sure that each child gets something special, she is filled with joy knowing that kids, who otherwise would go without, will wake up to presents under the tree.
This year, Toys for Tots and the Salvation Army have decided to join forces. Toys for Tots provides the toys, and the Salvation Army collects applications and provides food and clothing. Together they have a larger impact.
Because of them, it is possible for children like Laura and Sam to experience the joy of presents on Christmas morning! They work tirelessly to make sure that every child receives presents. In 2019 alone, they were able to provide toys to over 1800 children in Mesa County! Thanks to their efforts and the generosity of businesses and individuals around Mesa County, hundreds of children will wake up Christmas morning to full stockings and presents under the tree.
As Clara and John sat around the Christmas Tree playing with their new toys, Clara turned to her dad and said, “I’m so glad we were able to give toys to Toys for Tots so that other kids just like me can have an amazing Christmas too! Let’s do that every year!” Her dad pulled her in tightly and whispered, “I’m glad too.”
Article by Dakota Hunt
Photography by Jennifer Maxfield
Originally published in Grand Junction Lifestyle