11/15/04   A worthy cause for Sam Houston Elementary kids

The following is an e-mail from Nancy Weinberger regarding one of the sweetest Christmas projects in this city.  DallasArena.com totally supports this project.  I do not accept contributions or donations or advertisements for DallasArena.com, but I certainly encourage you to assist in providing some Christmas for the kids at Sam Houston Elementary.    You can contact Nancy Weinberger at the e-mail shown below, and I can personally vouch for her integrity and that all monies and gifts will go to the kids at Sam Houston Elementary.  SB

Subject: Sam Houston school Secret Santa project

Oh, my goodness, it is that time of year again.

Donald and I picked up the letters to Santa at the school on Tuesday and are getting busy trying to get them copied and ready for distribution.

Most of you are already familiar with our project but for those of you who are getting this email for the first time, let me briefly explain.

Sam Houston Elementary, in Oak Lawn, is one of the oldest and poorest schools in DISD.  Almost all of the children are poverty level or below. For many of them, the holidays are just another day.  Many of the parents work multiple jobs just to keep a roof over their heads and food in their tummies. 

The kids, however, are just wonderful.  Donald and I have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with them at the school and taking them places like the zoo and circus.  They are starved for individual attention and are thrilled and appreciative of everything.

Donald and I have organized the Secret Santa for years.  Each child writes a letter to Santa asking for a gift ($20 or less).  We also let the school staff members ask for gifts for their children and for something they want for their classroom.  With the help of all our friends and "angels", we do the best we can to get every letter filled.  It's an unbelievable task but thanks to all of you, we get it done.

On the last day of school, December 17th, 2004, each child will have a gift and a "goodie bag" on his or her desk when he comes to school.  The goodie bags are filled with fruit, juice, chips and usually some sort of trinket or school supplies.  Santa comes and visits the classrooms that morning, too.

We usually have some representation from the City, and often there is media coverage.

On Thursday December 16th, we will work at the school from the time school lets out until we are finished (hopefully before midnight) to make sure all the gifts and goodie bags are completed and distributed.

We would appreciate any assistance you can give us, whether it is buying a gift, providing cash to purchase a gift, helping us out at the school on Thursday night or coming to see all the fun on Friday morning when Santa arrives.  I can give you a letter from a child or provide you with an idea of what the kids want this year.

Thank you in advance for helping us pull this project off one more time.  When you see the kids' faces, it makes all the work worthwhile.

Nancy Weinberger

e-mail:  dorritt@flash.net