Published: Dec. 13, 2012
LANSING, Mich. - Bikes, toys, games, dolls, action figures, and plenty of other gifts were delivered today to more than 160 local families through the generosity of Sparrow Caregivers and Sparrow's Operation Santa program.
Operation Santa allows Sparrow Caregivers to sponsor local less fortunate children to ensure they enjoy the holiday season.
This year, more than 160 children from Fairview Elementary School in Lansing received bags of gifts.
"The willingness of Sparrow and the community to support local families has been unbelievable," said Jan Mayhew, who started the Operation Santa program 21 years ago. "We originally started with about 30 kids or so and it's grown to over four times that. It really goes beyond the gifts. It's a joyous experience for everyone."
Sparrow Caregivers spend weeks preparing for the program through a voluntary sign up. This week they've been dropping off gifts and loading them onto a truck for delivery to the school.
"I can't say enough about our Caregivers at Sparrow and their generosity," said Cathy Potter, coordinator of the program for Sparrow's Marketing Department. "Every year it seems as if more gifts are donated. Without these donations, many of these children may not have been able to enjoy the full experience of the holidays."