The Salvation Army, Altrusa International of Greenwood and the spirit of giving displayed by businesses and individuals across Greenwood saved Christmas for hundreds of children on Friday.
The floor of the National Guard Armory was covered with bicycles, toys, games, musical devices, car seats, gadgets, dolls, balls of all sports, cartoon-faced stuffed animals, cars and trucks.
The gift distribution was the result of the Angel Tree at CB&S Bank and the Adopt-A-Family program promoted by the Commonwealth.
“We started with 200, and that number has grown to 250 to 275,” said Lt. Jamaal Ellis of The Salvation Army.
He was hesitant to list all the contributing businesses for fear of overlooking someone but mentioned Altrusa International, St. John’s United Methodist Church, CB&S Bank, the women of the First Presbyterian Church, Greenwood Market Place and Cannon Motors, which donated many bicycles, along with “too many individuals to name.”
Lynda Galbraith, chair of the Angel Tree committee for Altrusa International, noted “the generosity of all the people of Greenwood, because without them none of this would be possible.”
Lynda Galbraith of Altrusa International and The Salvation Army Lt. Jamaal Ellis check the list at the National Guard Armory for gifts contributed through the Angel Tree and Adopt-a-Family programs.
Volunteers, Salvation Army board members, and officers and their families scoured the floor of the building throughout the day to match the number next to a pile of presents with the number brought in by a family picking up gifts.
“This is the point I like,” Galbraith said. “This is worth the whole month of toil and tribulation.”
She said the previous days, when waiting for donations to arrive, “your heart is in your mouth because you think, ‘Please let everyone get what they asked for.’”
For Jennifer Meeks, gathering gifts for her children — Amiracle Issac, 3, and Lebron Meeks, 5 — that generosity makes all the difference this holiday season.
“It means a lot,” she said. “They’ll be happy for Christmas.”
The Salvation Army’s Billy Dempsey helped Ashley Henderson carry bikes and toys to her car for her children Kamaja, 3, Cordarrell, 7, and Keenan, 7 months.
“I’m thankful and grateful,” Henderson said. “Now my kids are going to enjoy Christmas.” For the Henderson boys, the generosity of the businesses and people of Greenwood is called Santa.
•Contact Gavin Maliska at 581-7235 or gmaliska@gwcommonwealth.com.
