Photo by Jennifer Fike
Santa has been collecting toys in Princeton since late November, so that Christmas morning area kids will find sweet surprises from the big man himself.

Community helps Claus get Christmas in the bag

By Jennifer Fike
Staff Writer

Santa Claus received more than a little help this year, filling his velvet bag and his delivery bus with enough presents to surprise more than 270 children Christmas morning.

Thanks to the generosity of Princeton residents, the Stuff-the-Bus drive supplied Santa with enough toys, clothing, shoes and food to help 90 families have a happy holiday.

PISD and the Lions Club sponsored the fourth-annual Stuff-the-Bus drive, the largest yet. The combination of volunteers who put in countless hours and residents who donated helped make the drive a record-breaking success.

The proof that their hard work had paid off was on display Friday in “Santa’s workshop,” where carefully wrapped presents flooded the concrete floor of what is generally a bus barn. Santa continued collecting presents as volunteers sorted the gifts. Each stack of boxes represented a child who might not have had a single present to open on Christmas morning had it not been for Stuff-the-Bus.

PISD administrators selected the students for the drive based on financial need. Volunteers then set out to ensure each child would receive both fun, practical gifts this Christmas.

Coordinator Sabrina Wayman said many of the children Stuff-the-Bus helps need new clothes, shoes and coats for Christmas. And so, along with their toys, the kids will receive basic items   like shirts, socks and jackets.

A lot of the kids come to school wearing shorts and T-shirts, even during the winter, Wayman said. “Stuff-the-Bus allows us to provide for basic needs such as clothing and food, as well as some of the Christmas wishes of the kids,” she said.

The majority of the Stuff-the-Bus children were adopted through an Angel Tree program. Citizens State Bank and First Bank housed the angel trees, then served as a drop-off for the gifts.

Local churches, school employees, families and individuals from the community selected single children or entire families to shop for, then wrapped and delivered their presents to the banks or the school.

On Dec. 17 volunteers from PISD drove a bus to pick up all the packages and moved them to the warehouse for sorting and safe keeping. The collection was a festive occasion for Mike McBroom and Danilo Gutierrez, who were themselves smiling like kids on Christmas morning as they loaded stuffed Elmo dolls, basketballs and wrapped packages onto the large yellow school bus. 

Volunteers then carefully sorted the gifts, added in the individual presents that were donated, and invited parents to pick up their children’s packages, along with a box of food and a holiday ham.

While Santa is no slacker in the toy-giving department, he said he could not have done this without the help of the community.

“It’s overwhelming in this day and time, that people still dig below the bottom line to give,” Santa said. “It’s wonderful what people have done,” he said, surveying the toys filling his workshop Dec. 17.

“Big and small donations made it possible,” Santa said. Some were able to give in large quantities he said, recounting a story of a man who dropped off a truck full of food. Others gave a few toys or a few dollars. “People really dig down,” he said. “It brings me to tears.”

 Together the gifts will have a huge impact on this community, Santa said.

Though Santa is easily the most recognizable face of the Stuff-the-Bus drive, Wayman also plays a major role, enlisting help from fellow PISD employees and organizations like the Lions Club.

Philip Anthony, the Lions’ president as well as superintendent of PISD, said the club participates in Stuff-the-Bus because it is another way for the club to help the kids.

“The whole function of the Lions Club is to support the children of Princeton,” he said. Though the Lions’ primary objective is to provide eyeglasses for children in need, coat drives and Stuff-the-Bus are other ways the Lions help.

This year the club donated $1,500 to Stuff-the-Bus, as well as 90 hams to be given to families in Princeton.

The club, comprised of approximately 30 active members, raises money for such causes throughout the year at events like the Onion Festival and the Lenses for Learning Bike Run.

In addition to donors, businesses like Dollar General and David’s Supermarket also help propel the giving, by hosting Stuff-the-Bus and Santa on several Saturdays leading up to Christmas.

Katie McGough, Dollar General’s manager, said on behalf of her employees that the company participates in Stuff-the-Bus each year because “we all care.” David’s manager, Tim Chancellor, said the grocery store participates for the same reason.

“It’s a good cause,” he said.

Wayman was at a loss for words as she sorted food and gifts Friday. Instead of commenting on the community’s great outpouring of support, she simply motioned to the piles and piles of packages ... Santa’s bag runneth over and his bus is full.

Francesca Park, Santa’s seamstress, and PISD employees Sabrina Wayman (Stuff-the-Bus Coordinator) and Sally Hooks pause from present sorting to take a traditional Christmas photo with Mr. Claus.

Gifts wait to be picked up by volunteers at the Angel tree at First Bank in Princeton. 

Citizens State Bank employees Cindy Blackwell, Diana Guinn, Bill Bradshaw and Susan Tillman help take gifts out to the Stuff-the-Bus.

Lucy Beasley, Skylar Richardson, Klarissa Shafer and Alicia McCraw deliver gifts to Santa at his workshop Dec. 17. The girls helped select and wrap the presents on behalf of Faith Baptist’s Church’ youth group.