Santa Shop Follow Up

by Amanda Thrasher

I just wanted to let you know what a success the Santa Shop was on Sunday at St. Martin's.

The 3rd grade children of St. Martin's School and the entire school community and parishioners of St. Martin's should be commended for their hard work and their generosity. Over the last 2 weeks the children have been collecting toys before school in the carpool line. The parishioners at St. Martin's have also been bringing in gifts and dozens of gift cards. On Saturday morning a dozen 3rd graders, Kristen Craig, and I transformed the Commons into a wonderful "toy store," complete with doll, game, art, clothing, athletic departments and more.

On Sunday, over 70 families with more than 200 children came to have the opportunity to pick out a couple of toys for each of their children. We distributed over 400 toys and $2000 worth of gift cards to these families. The 3rd grade elves were generous in their spirit of helping these mothers and fathers shop for their children. They carried loot, packaged it in bags and helped families to their cars.

A wonderful addition to our shop this year was the "lunch table." A half dozen 3rd graders had an assembly line going of sandwich making and were able to give the shoppers a sack lunch with drink, chips and sandwich.

Another wonderful addition, was Emily Brannon who is a wonderful young neighborhood woman who has been volunteering in the Emergency Assistance office at St. Martin's Church. She speaks Spanish and was a much needed translater for many of the shoppers.

I would like to give a special thanks to the parent volunteers who were little angels themselves---Jim Walsh who kept our shoppers honest and the kids on task in the Commons---Kathy Hubbard and Shannon Jaynes who headed up the lunch assembly line. They oversaw the kids who made and distributed over 100 sandwiches---Amy Brown who graciously donated all the leftover cookies from Cookies and Carols so our shoppers could have a little "sweet treat."--Sharlyn Millsaps who helped man the cookie table and assisted with crowd control.

The spirit of outreach was alive and well at St. Martin's on Sunday and I am thankful for our generous church and school community. Best wishes for a meaningful and thoughtful Christmas season.

Fondly,
Amanda Thrasher

Mac Thrasher collecting gift cards on "Gift Card Sunday." 

Junior Daughters of the King collecting gift cards. 

3rd graders "setting up shop."

Mrs. Craig heading up the Apparel Dept.