(LEX 18) — Students at Southern Elementary School in Somerset couldn’t hide their bewilderment as they walked into the gymnasium. Sitting on the hardwood was Santa Claus himself, bringing toys with the Christian Appalachian Project’s Operation Sharing.
“We’ve been partnering with Toys for Tots now for about six years, doing summer giveaways,” said Operation Sharing manager Ben Ridner. “Last year, we decided to try something at Christmas time.”
Operation Sharing is supporting kids in Pulaski, Laurel, and Pike Counties this Christmas. On Thursday, they gave out nearly 5,000 toys to around 1,000 students in areas affected by tornadoes and flooding.
First-grade student Nash Baugh said he told Santa he wanted “a 3-D printer, 3-D pen, five puppies and five dog cages.”
“I want squishmallow for Christmas,” second grader Carson Carter told Kris Kringle. His wish was granted just moments later when he was handed a plush toy by a volunteer.
“Every student is going to come through and they’re going to get a squishmallow,” family resource coordinator Jabriel Siler said. “They’re going to get a gift and a gift bag to take with them.”
“It’s always special when you can introduce Santa Claus to any of the kids,” Ridner added. “It puts a smile on your face to see the kids smile.”
There are plenty of smiles today, but these kids do remember the storm earlier this year.
“There was a big flood, and my socks got wet, so I had to get new ones,” first grader Braylee Hill remembered, adding, “It was scary, and I wanted my mom.”
“Anytime we have a storm since then, we have to make sure we check on our students because a lot of them lived through that tornado,” Siler said. “A lot of them were displaced during that time.”
Today, Operation Sharing gives the students a happy memory to have during the holidays.”
“It makes me feel so grateful,” Hill said.
“That really kind of describes the mission behind what we do,” said Ridner.
