Most of you know I organize and carry out a christmas donation/fundraiser drive every year. This year was no exception.
Saturday night I hosted a christmas events in the street outside my store complete with horse and buggys, a 16 foot christmas tree, a childen's choir singing christmas carols and a couple raffles to raise some money.
I "adopted" out 32 kids from my angel tree, raised 800 dollars for Bikers Against Child Abuse and collected almost 500 pounds of food for the food bank. In addition I doled out clothing, food and toys to 12 needy families from donations I received, I dressed as Santa Claus and delivered presents to 16 kids today and today I participated in a Christmas program at the convalescent center with a local merchant.
This evening I took a bike and the remaining boys toys I had and went to visit a local cancer patient. 6 years old. His parents tell me he gets worse by the day but the doctors are pretty hopeful he will pull through. But everyone knows there is no telling what will happen.
I picked this young man to be my final stop for my drive. I sat in his living room as his parents told me about his surgeries and his fight for the last couple years. They showed me pictures of him before he was diagnosed and after, pictures in the hospital, his birthday party and other happy times. As we talked I did everything I could to fight back the tears. But there was nothing i could do to stop them when I gave him the bike, the big remote controlled bulldozer, the 4 wheel drive push truck and the other assorted items I had in my bag, and he looked at me and smiled and asked me, "are you Santa"?
I didnt know what to say to him. I got down on one knee and told him "no im not santa, Im just one of his elves". He gave me a big hug and went to play with some of his toys.
His mom was bawlind, his dad had tears running down his face, and I, well I had a couple running down my face also.
Just wanted to share that.
Merry Christmas everyone.
