AMVETS helping kids ‘give from the heart’

WASILLA — When describing their event, the folks behind the Santa’s Workshop program at the AMVETS Post 11 in Wasilla put the emphasis on “shop.”

But this is really a kind of a temporary store.

“Each child comes in and they get to shop for their whole family at no cost to them,” said Theresa Fuller who, along with a cadre of volunteers put the shop together for two weekends this year.

Fuller said that children aged 3 to 12 are welcome. And that’s really the only requirement.

“It’s not based on income, it’s just based on keeping alive our traditions,” she said.

Fuller said she’s been doing this for just three years. Last year she took a break because she’d been robbed and didn’t have the money to do it.

Stacked on tables around the room was everything from tools to art sets to board games to ball caps. There were ponies and Mickey Mouse and building blocks, too.

The AMVETS had Santa and Mrs. Claus on hand. A pool table was pressed into service as a crafting area to string cereal into decorations or jewelry. A table behind the bar was the cookie decorating area.

Fuller said that sometimes kids want something that’s not at the post.

“We had a little girl come in and all she wanted was a blanket for her new baby sister,” Fuller said. “She said, ‘Santa, I’ve been such a good girl this year and all I want for Christmas is this blanket.”

That, of course, was irresistible. They went out and bought the blanket and called the girl back the next day to pick it up.

Dean Backen, whose elf had a baseball-cap-style read, “I believe in Santa Claus,” sang Fuller’s praises.

“I can’t say enough wonderful things about that lady,” he said. “She holds nothing back. We’re very lucky to have her as an asset to this organization.”

Speaking of holding nothing back Fuller spent literally days decorating the post.

Paper lined the walls of the workshop and on those long strips of paper were drawn winter scenes of children sledding and people caroling. Fuller said it took actually thousands of hours to make those murals.

Coloring book pages were projected on the wall and volunteers traced them, then colored them in with magic marker. She said she once spent a full day — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. — adding color to the images.

“They kind of feel like they’re walking into Santa’s Workshop,” Fuller said of the effect of the murals.

Fuller said she likes the idea of helping kids feel the giving spirit. Maybe kids wouldn’t be so selfish if, at Christmas time, they were able to give gifts to everyone instead of just receiving.

Some kids have gotten the message, at least judging by the anecdote Backen shared from a stint he put in as a back-up Santa Claus. A kid had finished coloring a page over at one of the art stations.

“He brings it over and he says, ‘this is for you Santa,’” Backen said. “It’s hanging on my fridge.”

Fuller said she plans to keep organizing the workshop as she is able. She’s hoping it will catch on, maybe attract a few sponsors. But even if it doesn’t, she’ll keep going.

“My motto is that giving is from the heart, not the wallet,” she said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.