Toybox brings happiness to faces of children

Adrean Harris didn't have much to say when the Toybox Santa arrived with a new bicycle. Maybe it was the surprise of the visit or the shock of getting exactly what he wanted.

Adrean, 11, is a sixth-grade student at Blanchard Elementary. He had received his first bike from his mother for good behavior and better grades, but it was stolen last summer.

When Santa arrived Thursday evening with a replacement, Harris' 5-year-old brother, Daniel, was amazed. He raced through the front hallway and down the stairs to get his brother out on the lawn.

While Santa spoke to Adrean, Daniel tried to peek through the gray sack filled with toys. "Can't I see just one, Mom?" he asked. "I promise -- just one."

But all his pleas didn't help: His mother, Gene Harris, wanted to wait until Christmas so the gifts could be wrapped and placed under the tree.

Daniel pointed out that gifts for him and his mother were already under the tree.

More than 500 families received gifts Thursday. The gifts were from Toybox, a joint program of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian.

This year many parents chose to wait until Christmas for their children to open the gifts. But all 23 Santas made their calls with some extras like Barbie dolls, action figures and Play-doh.

Down the street, Eddie Coomer, 3, and his sister Cheyenne, 2, were thrilled that Santa made a stop at their house. They weren't frightened of the big man in the red suit and eagerly opened the door so he could come inside.

"The look on their faces was priceless," said their mother.

While some of the older children were too embarrassed to give Santa hugs, younger children showed a range of emotions when they heard his hearty "Ho-Ho-Ho" at their door.

One boy cried after Santa left, so his mother opened the door and summoned Santa back for another hug. Four-year-old Collin Tipler was barely awake for his visit with Santa. A missed nap was to blame.

At Colin's house, homemade chocolate chip cookies awaited Santa when he delivered the bag of goodies.

Zadie Tucker, 5, was a little surprised that Santa left his bag when he came to her house. After all, she had already received a Barbie doll from him.

Zadie had asked for an angel doll to go in her stocking, which hung on the wall near the family's Christmas tree.

Giving gifts at Christmas makes it all worthwhile, said Fran McGarr, who donned a plush red suit for the deliveries.

"It's great to get something," he said, especially for the children who didn't know about the presents. "If Santa brings it, all the better."

Toybox donations of toys were down more than usual, but this was the largest delivery request ever received by the Jaycees, said Lisa Seabaugh.

"Toy donations finally came in" so that all the requests could be filled, she said.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126