One thing Lakewood residents do well is partner with their fellow public service organizations. A good example was the 5th annual Springbrook Christmas Giveaway took place on Saturday, December 15th at the Centerforce Building in Springbrook.
With unwrapped gift donations from the Lakewood First Lions Club, Caring for Kids, the City of Lakewood, and Springbrook Connections, parents arrived and signed in with the number of children and their ages.
The children also went into a separate playroom where they visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus while they colored and played Santa games. Thank you to Lion Roger Martin and Lakewood Rotary member Sally Porter Smith for filling those important roles.
Parents were assisted by volunteer shoppers who held the empty gift bag and escorted them around the room to the tables with gifts for children in their age groups. Friendly volunteers behind the gift tables helped parents shop and kept the tables filled with age appropriate gifts. At the end of their shopping spree, parents and kids were reunited in the Centerforce dining room for Chili and cornbread before leaving. Two 25 lb. turkeys and 30 hams were also given to departing shoppers.
A special thanks to the Lakewood Police Department who donated three bikes and a $300 Walmart gift certificate that we used to buy gifts. Additional volunteers on the day of the event included CPTC Human Services Program, and Got Class. Thank you to the Springbrook Connections, the Lakewood First Lions, and Caring for Kids who planned and shopped for months to ensure that parents could give gifts to their children for Christmas.
A total of 425 men, women, and children came through the door for this Christmas giveaway activity.
THANK YOU: Lakewood, First Lions Club, Caring for Kids, City of Lakewood, Lakewood Police Department, Springbrook Connections, and Centerforce. SANTA