Caring for Kids

I had the pleasure of taking a needy kid shopping this year through the Swansboro Rotary. I would have to say this was one of the highlights of my Christmas season. I went with another rotarian and in place of my bossman.


Once we got to the school and checked him out to go shopping, I noticed we had a shy child on our hands. But, by the end of the day we had him smiling and talking. He was 5 yrs old and had two older sisters and a brother. He also told us he had a cat & a dog. On the ride to The Jacksonville Mall we had asked him if he had eaten breakfast that morning, he said "no". So we began to name every place we knew we would pass on our way. Once we came to Bojangles his face lit up and he said "Yes I really like Bojangles." So that's where we stopped.


We then proceeded to The Jacksonville Mall to begin our shopping. Myself nor the person I went shopping with didn't know much about children much less about clothing for children...but I have to say we did an awesome job. We bought the majority of his clothing and a pair of shoes from JcPenny because they had teamed up with the Rotary and were offering a 40% discount. The shoes that he wore shopping were in rough shape so we went to Shoe Show and bought him another pair.


Throughout the day we noticed that he would stop at the Christmas trees and play with the ornaments. So we asked him if his parents had put up a tree yet, he said "no". So our next stop was Walmart and that is where we bought him a prelit Christmas tree and ornaments. And what Christmas wouldn't be complete without toys.


Then we ate lunch at Red Robin where he had to play with his new toys and tic tac toe (which I lost everytime) while we waited for our food. I know that we made this child's Christmas and I am so glad I was able to be apart of it. Thank you to the Swansboro Rotary and to JcPenny.

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that - as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.  ~Charles Dickens