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Goodfellows drive begins
Published November 25, 2009
ANGLETON — Even Santa Claus needs a hand navigating the turbulent economy, and the Angleton Goodfellows are working to make sure he makes a smooth landing again this holiday season.
For about 40 years, Angleton Goodfellows has been giving gifts to school-age boys and girls in Angleton, Holiday Lakes and Rosharon, said toy drive organizer Denise Damian. Applications are given out at Angleton ISD campuses and children ages 4 to 12 take them home to be filled out.
The deadline for application was Friday, and now the group will work to fill children’s wish lists. The Facts co-sponsors the drive, and between 550 and 600 children receive gifts.
“We do this to help provide some sort of Christmas gifts to children in the area who might not receive anything,” Damian said. “It brings a smile of joy to their little eyes.”
Children receive individual gifts and families get a board game, and all children receive some kind of ball, such as a football or kickball.
Goodfellows collects cash instead of items because they can purchase more items in bulk than people could buying things themselves. The amount of money raised this year will determine how many youths can be helped next year, so giving is important, Damian said.
The group fell short of their $7,000 goal last year, but a last-minute gift of toys allowed them to fill all requests. The goal is $7,000 again this year, and the drive continues from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Damian said.
Giving to Goodfellows is giving to the community, Angleton ISD spokeswoman Hannah Chalmers said.
“Goodfellows is such an honorable program, because they really do seek to find those kids who need help during the Christmas season,” Chalmers said. “As a district, we realize we have children who are economically disadvantaged, and groups like this help make all of our kids feel special on a special holiday.”
Every penny donated to Goodfellows goes to local families, Damian said. The Facts office is used for staging, and volunteers box and bag the toys. Once packages are ready to go, officials with the Angleton, Holiday Lakes and Rosharon fire departments color-code them according to addresses and deliver them.
Donations can be mailed to Goodfellows, P.O. Box 2603 Angleton, TX 77516. For information, call 979-848-7910.
John Lowman covers Angleton for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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