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Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings and area residents help bring Christmas to needy children

December 22, 2004 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN—The holiday spirit overflowed at the DeSoto Civic Center arena this year, where RiverKings fans, staff, and players played Santa to 83 needy as part of North Mississippi Sexual Assault Resource Center’s “Gifts from the Heart” program.

The non-profit organization, which will be featured at the Memphis RiverKingsÂ’ Jan. 29 game, set up Christmas trees at several area businesses including the DeSoto Civic Center during five Memphis RiverKings games. The tree was decorated with paper ornaments bearing the names and ages of children in the program.

The program grew from a sizeable 223 area children served in the program’s debut last year to a whopping 2,000 plus needy children this year. RiverKings fans stepped in the crease to fulfill the wish lists of 70 children, donating toys and $400 to help round out other lists. This year, the ‘Kings organization sponsored 83 children.

“It was fun to give some kids a Christmas they wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for this type of program,” said RiverKings forward Ken Goetz, who picked out one boy’s name and one girl’s name. “I love to shop. I don’t have any kids and I just have one niece, so I don’t get to shop much for little kids. It was a lot of fun picking out the toys and trying to pick out just the right gift.

“I get excited about Christmas—I’m still a little kid. I’ll be up early on Christmas, like 6 or 7 in the morning, to open up my gifts. I love this time of year. I like to help all the time, but Christmas especially. I know what Christmas means to me, and it was really neat to be part of this program, to give these kids a nice Christmas.”

The organization worked with the U.S. Marine CorpsÂ’ Toys for Tots program, the DeSoto County School Board and the Department of Human Services, and organizations like the Samaritans to serve children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

NMSARC Director Debbie Houck said she saw hundreds of heart-touching moments when the organization distributed the gifts on Dec. 19, but the last familyÂ’s reaction could sum up the entire experience.

A mother of six had registered at the last minute. She waited three hours while others who had been in the program for months received their gifts. Houck went into the back and gathered up gifts and several bicycles that she had purposely kept back.

“When she saw me bring out those bikes, she started putting her hands in the air, praising God and saying ‘Hallelujah!’ and it just made all the hours and hours of work worth it,” Houck said. “She hugged us and thanked us and then her children hugged and thanked us and we all cried.”

Houck wasn’t alone in the project. About 150 volunteers, including motorcycle clubs, nuns, churches, the Hernando High School boys and girls basketball teams, Project Homestead, Y-CAP, and more worked to get all the gifts in, register families and distribute gifts. “Everyone came together—it was a real community effort,” she said.

Many children, from age 5 and up, also volunteered.

“I was so proud of all of them,” Houck said. “Just to see all these little people working so hard to make a difference in someone’s life. And they did.”

More than 40 businesses participated, like Hooters, which raised more than $400 by selling paper trees at its Horn Lake store, and the night shift at Grand Casino, which sponsored an entire family. The Grand employees came to meet the family, prayed with them and personally gave them their gifts.

A&B Distributing, which sponsors Tate County’s “Clydesdale Christmas Store” annual toy drive, donated the use of a tractor-trailer to haul the gifts.

“There was a large outpouring from the community,” Houck said. “There are too many businesses and organizations to list. After most of the volunteers left on Saturday night, we sat back to look at everything after we set it up and just went, Wow. It was truly amazing. Spreading what the good Lord gave us all—that’s what Christmas is all about.”

To find out more about North Mississippi Sexual Assault Resource Center, visit their table at the RiverKings game against the Laredo Bucks on Jan. 29 or call Houck at 662-280-9111.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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