Stone County nonprofits, ministries and businesses joined together in a wonderful display of Christian unity and holiday spirit for the annual Stone County Christmas Assistance and Toy Store, held December 8 and 9. Organized by Unite Table Rock Lake and hosted by New Testament Christian Church in Reeds Spring, this year’s event served over 400 families, including more than 1,200 children. Qualifying families for the annual event must be income-eligible for free/reduced price lunch in area schools and reside in Stone County.
Families arrived by appointment at the venue, where they were greeted by a parking lot attendant team and offered hot cocoa and cider, before being paired with their own personal shopping assistant and shopping cart. Making their way through the Toy Store, parents could select large, medium and smaller toys based on their children’s ages and gender, plus stocking stuffers; there was also the option of an “extra special” gift in lieu of a couple of the smaller items, ideal for parents whose child really wants a bicycle or other larger item. It was a heartwarming experience to see the parents’ delight. One mom, recently widowed and trying to manage working from home while her children are young, was overjoyed to find among those “special” gifts a toy kitchen, sure to provide hours of enjoyment for her preschool daughter for quite some time.
The next stop was the gift-wrapping station, where parents could have their selections wrapped or choose paper to take home and wrap their gifts themselves, but the blessings didn’t end there. Families also received bags of groceries, provided by Christian Action Ministries and Convoy of Hope, and visited the pajama room for new, warm PJs for each child. That young widow, focused on her children’s needs, was pleasantly surprised when the “Wonderful Wear-House” visit included not only outfits for each child but also for her, including a pair of much-needed shoes. Once their shopping trip was complete, parents returned to the lobby area where parking attendants helped them pack their cartload of blessings into their vehicle.
Several families were new to the Christmas Assistance event this year, citing the effects of inflation. One man, a seasonal worker in the area tourism industry, said he tries to plan ahead each year for the reduced income during the winter months, but the prices of groceries and household necessities have made it much harder the last couple of years.
A huge thanks goes out to all the merchants, businesses and individuals contributing toys and clothing, plus the many volunteers, and especially Unite Table Rock Lake members Maureen Darby and Carrie Padilla, whose organizational efforts bring joy to so many people. Other groups were on hand, including the Gideons International with Bibles and a table of follow-up resource packets containing information about the family diaper bank; free meals from area churches through the Loaves and Fishes program; parent support and training through Parents and Teachers and Reeds Spring Schools; and a Community Day with food and supplies coming up in January. Visit the Unite Table Rock page on Facebook for more details about sponsors and upcoming events.
Comments