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‘Operation Holidays’ Needs Volunteers to be Santa, and Finish Wrapping Gifts for the Upcoming Christmas Holiday

The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 583 Alpena were busy this weekend packing up toys for kids, and food for families.

Here’s that story.

It’s almost Christmas time, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 583 Alpena are hard at work with their annual ‘Operation Toys for Kids and Feed a Family.’

Taking care of about 3,000 children a year, ‘Operation Holidays’ is in full gear.

With gifts still needing to be wrapped, Assistant Coordinator, Tammy Kish said more volunteers are needed.

“We’re going to be welcoming wrappers anytime during the day from 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. If you want to come down and help us wrap, we need to be wrapping about 60 families a day. Some of these families have 3 kids or 4 kids or 6 kids so we can really use the help to try to get all these gifts wrapped up so we can get them out to the families by next weekend,” she explained.

Kish said volunteers for Santa and Mrs. Claus are also needed. “Yes! Mrs. Claus is here. They’re going to be out delivering our toys to our families. We will have another big delivery next weekend, so anybody can come down and help deliver the toys out to the families.

It’s a very rewarding feeling taking the boxes out to families. It’s just real warm and fuzzy feeling,” Kish said.

Working as a couple to bring smiles to kids faces, Dallas Minton, and his girlfriend, Amy has delivered gifts as Santa and Mrs. Claus for over six years.

“It feels very good to know that I’m giving a kid a good Christmas. There are a lot of kids out there that their families have a hard time this time of year. Santa enjoys seeing the smiles on their little faces and helping the little kids. Santa looks forward to doing this,” Kish said.

Many of the families in need face hardships and hard times.

‘Operation Holiday’ makes sure no child is left out for Christmas giving each child a large, medium and small gift along with games and books for the family. Kish said it’s all because of the love from the community.

“The people in this town are very loving and kind, and caring, and giving of themselves.

I have to say I live in a very wonderful community. I love it here,” she said.

There will be a total of 850 families that will have Christmas gifts delivered to their house this year.

If you would like to still donate the organization is currently in need of gifts for boys and girls 9 years old through 17 years old.

Large gifts need to be $20 or more, and medium gifts need to be $10 to $19.

If you would like to help wrap gifts this week the operation begins daily at 8 am and goes until all the gifts are wrapped.

For WBKB News in Alpena, I’m Star Connor.