Thanks to Special Santa

To the editor:

Alaska Center for Resource Families and Office of Children's Services would like to thank Special Santa for collaborating with us on the Foster Children's holiday gift drive and party. It was a huge success, but we could not have done it without help.

The following businesses and organizations helped collect gifts: Country Legends Radio, Mat-Su Creamery, Valley Business Machines, Rusty's in Palmer, Krazy Moose, Bagels Alaska, House of Bread, Sylvan's Learning Center and the mystery man who dropped off three large bags full of gifts, HaciendaMexican Restaurant, Slacks Sugar Shack and Trinity Lutheran Church. Other people dropped off gifts: Ed, William and Jessie; Kathy Bethe, RSVP Project Warm Up; Cheryl Hunter; Judy Rittenbergh; Valley Quilters Guild; and Sabra. Thanks to Carefree Kids, Bishop's Attic and Valley ABATE we were also able to purchase gift cards for older youth.

ACRF generated additional funds through a wreath auction. Thanks to Girl Scout Troop 442 and TBCS students for decorating the wreaths. In addition, Kristan Cole Realty let us use its van to move the gifts to TMS, which we were able to use thanks to Mat-Su Borough School District.

Finally, thanks to all the staff and volunteers that assisted at the event: Erin's gang, Dana, Cindy, Tara and Tami, Julie, Sheridan and the girls, Karen, Dawn and Scott, Linda, Tim, Tom and Mary, Gwen and Alfred, Alia's crew, Carol and the ROSA House girls, Barbara and her family, Kara, Cliffton and Calvin, Mitchell and Santa!

Betsy Woodin

Wasilla