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The Helping Hand Christmas Party for their young clients has become as important to my Christmas tradition as anything my family and I observe. In fact, it is the highlight of my Christmas Season. Starting some 40 years ago with money from the Council's first Mentally Handicapped Drive (as it was called then) we bought, wrapped and distributed gifts for 12 children in the Zero to 3 Program with the help of Santa and his elves. I have been privileged to be Santa over 30 times since then. My children have been elves, and my wife, Beth, has been Mrs. Santa. Now the Helping Hand staff function as the elves, but Beth and I still function as Mrs. Santa and Santa.
2023 Helping Hand Christmas Party
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Prior to the party, the teachers at Helping Hand give us a list of clients and specially suggested gifts appropriate for each one. From that humble beginning their client base has grown to almost 150 and their age range hasextended into the teenage years. Using money from the Intellectual Disability Drive (as it is now called) it takes 3 teams of Knights and family members about 2 1/2 hours to shop for the toys, wrapping paper, tape, labels and gift cards. Beth and I then organize the gifts by age group and set up wrapping stations. The council joins us for a wrapping party. Finally the wrapped and labeled gifts are delivered to Helping Hand.
On the day of the party Santa and Mrs. Santa arrive at the party while the clients are singing "Here Comes Santa Claus" after buffet style dinner. Gifts are distributed to each client in attendance, and to their siblings if the parents bring gifts for them. Santa and Mrs. Santa then pose for pictures until all requests are accommodated before returning to the North Pole to finish getting ready for Christmas Eve.
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