Our very generous community never ceases to amaze

There’s nothing quite like a child, especially an excited, grateful child, to inject Christmas cheer directly into your heart.

On Sunday afternoon, I had a chance to accompany officers from the Lovell Police Department as they distributed bags of toys and other gifts gathered by the North Big Horn Hospital Share-a-Stocking program and the LPD’s own Blue Santa program.

Each year, community members pluck paper “stockings” off trees at the hospital and care center that bear a child’s Christmas wishes, then generously shop for said items and bring them back to coordinator Janet Koritnik for wrapping.

Most of the packages are picked up by the families who receive them, but police officers also take a few around, accompanied by Santa Claus, and I was once again able to tag along on Sunday.

What a treat.

As we approached the first house, two little blonde girls, ages 7 and 3, could be seen excitedly jumping up and down behind the home’s front window. Santa was coming to their house – with presents.

And when we entered, the older girl chatted Santa up like an old friend while the officers carried in the presents. The scene warmed my heart as I observed the pure joy of Christmas generosity and appreciation.

At another stop, the 7-year-old boy loved visiting with the officers, sharp as a tack and full of information. They smiled as he talked, though the little 1-year-old girl didn’t like the jolly old elf one bit. You will later, honey.

After stopping at the police station to collect Blue Santa presents, we went to another home, the living room filled with six kids. With Blue Santa, the police gather the donated presents themselves and find a family who didn’t sign up for Share-a-Stocking but could use some assistance. The officers and kids posed for a group photo. The officers then went to a second Blue Santa home to give out some Barbies donated by a local family.

The community response to programs like Share-a-Stocking, Blue Santa, Toys for Tots, the First Bank program, firemen’s Christmas Baskets, the care center residents’ tree, the Lovell Food Pantry and many other programs represent the best of our citizenry, people with bigger hearts than their pocketbooks in many instances.

As Janet Koritnik told me this week, “Every year I’m touched by the generosity of our community to help brighten the holidays for the children who may need a little extra and to offer relief to parents.”

And it’s not just the people who donate, it’s the people who gather the presents – and wrap and wrap and wrap – or the firemen who assemble the boxes of food, then deliver them around the county well into the night.

I know there are many, many others who serve and help behind the scenes without the photos and headlines. You know who you are, and I appreciate you.

It all comes down to the fact that, in small communities like ours, folks are happier giving than receiving, and that is a blessing for us all.