Civic organizations, philanthropic groups, youth groups and many individuals in Pettis County made 2017 a year of community giving for Pettis County Community Santa.

Community Santa served over 1,800 last year, with 1,248 of those being children.

Community Santa seeks to treat each family with respect and every child as a special individual. To that end, they ask parents to tell them about the specific interests of each child.

In order to be good stewards of the monies we receive, Community Santa works all year to find the best prices on toys that are both fun and encourage learning. By matching toys and games with special requests (within our budget), they believe they are helping to create “the magic of the season.” The unwrapped gifts provided by Community Santa are given to the parents so they can incorporate their own family traditions.

They gift each child (newborn-11 years) with:
Age appropriate toys from her/his wish list
2 new books to engage and further our goals of literacy
Family games to encourage interaction in the home
A stuffed animal or “lovie” for comfort

(12-17 year olds receive a gift card to purchase their own gift).

They consider the games and books to be some of the most significant items we provide. Thank you for supporting this unique program that gives joy and hope to less fortunate families.

Carol McMillin is the director of the board, with members Sue Privitt, Sue Johnson, Betty Albrecht, Margie Griffin, Kim Schroeder and Jyl Jones.

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