Santa Gives Kids at the Dream Center an Early Visit
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NORTH JACKSON — Christmas came early for some local children in need as Santa made a stop at the Dream Center in Jackson, Friday morning. “There’s nothing more special then seeing a child get something, getting to unwrap a brand new present with their name on it, and knowing that they were special enough that Santa remembered them,” Gail Gustafson, Executive Director of the Dream Center, said. Santa met with dozens of kids, and gave $20 gift certificates to each one, courtesy of the Jackson Rotary Club and the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation. “The two came together to make sure that these kids weren’t forgotten at Christmas as it relates to specifically what they wanted,” Dave Bratcher said, a Jackson Rotary Club member. Many parents say that the situation is already difficult for their families, but it becomes even tougher around the holidays. They say through this effort, they can make sure that no kid goes without Christmas. “Anything that’s given is a blessing,” Brandi Prude, a Dream Center parent said. “If it’s coming from me or anybody else, it’s truly a blessing. Thank God that somebody else thought of these kids.” The giving won’t stop with the kids. Organizers say many of them will turn right around and pay it forward. “Some of these kids, now they’ll go out and buy something for mom, or they’ll go out and buy something for their little brother or sister,” Gustafson said. “They are so loving.” This event was part of West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation’s Christmas Challenge. For every $3 given to a fund or endowment, the foundation will donate $1. The fundraising continues through the end of December.
