Santa came early this year for dozens of local special needs families. An anonymous donor gave $500 to support this year’s ‘A Night With Santa’ event after reading about it on Now Habersham. The donation will cover the cost of refreshments and gifts for the special needs children, adults and family members who attend.
“We would like to tell whomever he is ‘Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!'” enthuses event organizer Rhonda Stamey. “It will take care of everything we need to make this event great.”
Stamey says the man stopped by Hillside Baptist Church in Cornelia and donated the money after he read the story Now Habersham published on November 3rd.
“We just want him to know that we really appreciate his generosity,” Stamey says. “These special people are very dear to our hearts and it will mean so much the kids and their families! We can never say thank you enough.”
A special night for special needs families
This marks the second year A Night With Santa will be held in Habersham County. It’s designed with special needs families in mind – families that otherwise might not be able to participate in public holiday events. “It’s not always easy for special needs families to get a picture with Santa,” explains Stamey. “Long lines can be a problem. Some people need more time to warm up to Santa than others do. We are able to give them all the time they need.”
At last year’s party there was a 20-year-old man who had never had his picture taken with Santa. Stamey says, “With a little extra time, we finally got him to sit beside Santa and get that first photo. That probably would not have happened in a different setting. It is hard to accommodate each person’s needs in a busy setting such as a mall.”
An open invitation with open arms
A Night With Santa is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, December 2, at Hillside Baptist Church located at 324 Level Grove Road, Cornelia, GA 30531. In addition to free photos with Santa, refreshments and gifts, there will be face painting and games with prizes.
The event is open to special needs children, adults and their families regardless of where they live. There is no age limit. Every special family is welcome!
Event co-chair Athena Harkins is the mother of a special needs son. She says, “It is nice to be in an environment where he can just be himself and enjoy this time of the year where everyone is kind and accepting of one another.”
Stamey reinforces that theme of acceptance saying, “We want all of our special need families to know they are loved and supported. We are all walking the same walk. We need people who can truly understand that walk. We spend a lot of time with doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, etc. and for two short hours this event allows special kids and adults and their families to forget about all that and just enjoy Christmas. That is why we do this each year!”
Organizers anticipate 50-75 people will attend A Night With Santa this year. They still need volunteers to help serve refreshments and work the event.
If you’d like to help out or learn more about the event, call Rhonda Stamey at 706-949-9775 or email her at [email protected].
