Santas deliver holiday cheer, gifts to seniors and children

"That's pretty good, boy," Jesse Dunlap kept saying about his new recliner, delivered by a pair of Jaycee Santas on Thursday.

The 83-year-old had sat by his kitchen window most of the day, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his friend and weekly visitor, John McGowan, who brought more goodies in the afternoon.

Dunlap was receiving the gifts through the Christmas for the Elderly program, which serves low-income seniors in Cape Girardeau who otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas.

McGowan met Dunlap last year through the program and the two struck up a friendship, one that has seen Dunlap through kidney surgery and a return to health.

Besides a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart, Dunlap also received basic home supplies like toilet paper and a supply of canned dog food for his 15-year-old chow named Bear. Thirty-six seniors were served by the program this year.

Jesse Dunlap, right, told John McGowan of the Jaycees that he received the right type of food for his dog, Bear, among the Christmas for the Elderly gifts Thursday. (Kit Doyle)

"There's a bunch of good people," said Dunlap, wearing a denim shirt he bought with his gift card last year.

Santas were also busy Thursday delivering gifts for the Toybox charity, bringing gifts and holiday cheer to needy children.

Twenty-four vans, each filled with one Santa, his helper elves and plenty of toys, visited 402 families.

Each of the 1,360 children on Santa's list received at least one toy they specifically requested and three or four others that were appropriate for their age.

Before the delivery, Santas adjusted beards, stuffed pillows under their suits and pulled on black boots.

Dru Reeves, along with sister Sara MacCubbin and daughter Brooke Reeves, navigated a van donated for the night to 12 of the houses.

"It's rewarding to see their faces when Santa walks in the door," MacCubbin said.

Reeves carried a black bag full of gifts to the Bird household, where DeAziah, 6, Jazlyn, 8, and Daniel, 5, were waiting by the door.

"Merry Christmas!" Reeves proclaimed. "I heard there were some kids here that have been good," he said, depositing the bag near a Christmas tree.

Jazlyn said it will be difficult to wait until Christmas to open her presents. But a Rubik's Cube, one toy she was given early, helped.

"We're going to wake our mom and dad up real early on Christmas," she said.

Six-year-old Dashandreiona Egson, third on Santa's list of stops, screamed with surprise when Reeves walked through the door.

"She didn't know he was coming. She was shocked," volunteer Angela Smith explained.

A late push for toy donations resulted in Toybox receiving enough gifts for every family.

Toybox is sponsored by the Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian. Christmas for the Elderly is sponsored by the Jaycees, the Southeast Missourian, the Missouri Division of Senior Services, Hoover Eldercare, Area on Aging and the Cape Girardeau County health department.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123