CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Members of the Kiwanis Club of Clarksville spread a whole lot of holiday cheer this week as they presented 150 children with Christmas gifts as part of their annual Kiwanis Children’s Christmas Party.
Club members spent Monday evening wrapping all of the gifts, but because of concerns of COVID-19, they were delivered on Tuesday to the students at the Head Start Lafayette Center by the Kiwanians. In the past, the children visited First Baptist Church in downtown Clarksville where the Kiwanis meetings are held.
For over 30 years, the party has involved the organization buying the gifts, mostly toys, giving them to the kids and letting them open them for a few minutes of play before they took turns visiting Santa Claus to share with him what they wanted for Christmas.
Joel Wallace with Kiwanis said the event was something the club looks forward to every Christmas. “I think the cool thing about this event every year is I feel it means more to us, the people in our club giving, than the kids who get the stuff, which I know they will enjoy,” said Wallace.
Staff at Head Start will make sure each of the youngsters receive their gifts.
“Every year we get blessed by Kiwanis and I’m very thankful for them,” said Maritza Austin, Family Service Manager at Head Start. “We have a lot of kids with needs and we are very blessed to have gifts for every child this year.”