Submitted
Area American Legion Riders were a part of spreading some Christmas cheer Sunday and Monday, as they brought gifts to nursing home residents, veterans, DSNWK residents and those in home health care.
It’s all part of Christmas Magic, a grassroots effort to reach veterans and those who might not have anyone to remember them at Christmas.
“Christmas is not a time to be forgotten,” said Janice Koshiol, one of the original organizers of the event. This is our third year of trying to bring a little 'Christmas Magic' to our veterans, homebound elderly, those in nursing homes and residents of DSNWK homes. This year, we are delivering 72 gift bags."
"We usually have Boy and Girl Scouts helping us deliver the gift bags, but with this virus their activities have been sharply curtailed. We are very grateful that when the American Legion Riders heard about our predicament they stepped up to help us out."
Also, without the help of Angie Rupp, Amber Koshiol and Caitlin Farrell there would be no Christmas Magic.
Early in November, it was posted on the Facebook group 'You Know You’re From Hays If ...” and "Hays America' requesting donations of $25 a bag.
"Sadly this year when so many are hurting, we were not getting donations so we turned to local businesses and they came to our rescue."
“We try to make our gift bags special. We want our recipients to feel like they’re actually getting something so they understand that first they are not alone and most importantly that people do care for and about them,” Koshiol said.
Golden Belt Bank came through again for us by donating bottles of Pantene 2-in-1 shampoo, Danny Dinkel with Farm Bureau donated the gift bags, Sunflower Bank donated large bottles of lotion, Bank of Hays donated boxes of Kleenex, ABC Seamless donated a hair brush for each bag, Northwestern Printers donated note pads and pens, The Rose Garden baked cookies to be included in each bag, Dillons provided clementines and candy canes for every bag, Cindy Schmidt very generously donated substantial face masks for each bag, Walmart Optical donated eye glass cleaning kits and Nex-Tech donated calendars. Other items include a stress ball, playing cards, a puzzle book and a pair of non-slip booties from the Koshiol family.
Each participant receives a dated ornament as a keepsake for helping. One of the ornaments is also placed on the Christmas trees in the various nursing homes.
Normally the bags are given to individual patients in the nursing homes. Due to the virus that was impossible this year.
When they delivered to individual homes some of the recipients couldn't contain themselves and reached out and hugged riders hard. The riders didn't hesitate and returned the hugs in kind.
Koshiol said they start shopping for bargains to include in the bags right after Christmas and she will post in the Facebook groups in November next year with information on how people can donate to the project or to nominate a recipient.
— Submitted by J.M. Koshiol