A Christmas tradition is back this year in the Westville Unit 2 School District. The group ‘Santas Anonymous’ brought some smiles to children’s faces as it made its annual deliveries on Saturday.
Debbie Seripinas, one of the founders of the group, says toys and food vouchers were delivered to forty-six families this year to help those in need. Seripinas remembers how the program began…back in 1976…..
{AUDIO: ”It got started with Cindy Pataki and I going to buy presents for each other, and decided to do this instead. We had plenty so we didn’t need a lot. And I think we did twenty families.”}
(A volunteer checks the bags before they are loaded.)
Volunteers collect and wrap the toys that have been donated. And then they are actually delivered to the homes by Santa and his Elves…
{AUDIO: ”COVID kind of stopped us for a couple of years. There wasn’t any going into the houses. But, you know, we feel pretty good about doing it now. They’re distanced, you know. And Santa talks to the kids when he’s in their homes. And the elves just take the packages in.”}
Seripinas notes what started as ‘Santas Anonymous’ in Westville has spread over the years…
{AUDIO: ”A lot of other towns, too, have started this. And it takes care of a lot of their kids. So I’m kind of proud of everybody for stepping up and doing this, you know, in their town.”}
(Seripinas, on left, and Darlene Oakes, on the right, have led the program for decades.)
And as some Westville High School and Jr. High School students step-up to help, Seripinas says she feels optimistic about the future of the Santas Anonymous program.
