100 Dodge Center kids get gifts from Santa Anonymous

A hundred Dodge Center children were able to receive Christmas presents this year due to the efforts of the Dodge Center Lions and community residents.
“It was quite a year with the pandemic,” said Lion Carol Johnson. Despite the pandemic and Semcac being unable to help this year, the Lions’ Santa Anonymous program helped 39 or 40 families and 100 kids have a brighter Christmas, she said.
There were more families than ever seeking help, she said. Because of COVID Semcac was unable to help with accepting applications for help, Johnson said.
Once the applications had been processed and the Santa requests noted, the Santa Anonymous trees were placed at the Dodge Center Library, Citizens State Bank, Dodge Country Club and Sunshine Foods. Individuals were able to take a request from a child from the tree and purchase the gifts.
‘We were very thrilled so much came in,” Johnson said.
Others, who chose not to do the shopping themselves, she said, donated money as did local businesses and Lions Club members purchased the gifts.
“We received generous donations from people who did not want to shop in person,” she said.
The club was able to fill most requests, she added.
Once the gifts were purchased they had to be sorted by family, Johnson said, and that also necessitated some changes this year because of COVID restrictions.
Usually sorting the gifts involves a large group of Lions. This year, the number of people who could come and sort the presents was restricted.
They also had to change the way the parents were given the gifts.
A bag was prepared for each family containing the gifts, wrapping paper and a gift card to Sunshine Foods. The gifts are delivered to the parents unwrapped so they can wrap them for their children themselves. The gift cards were for $100 or $200 depending on family size and provided for a complete Christmas meal.
Each gift bag had the family number on it, but no name, so that everything was done anonymously.
On the Saturday before Christmas the bags were delivered to City Hall and the parents drove up and the bags were brought out to them in their cars.
The weather proved cooperative on Saturday and the bags were delivered to the families.
“In spite of the pandemic and the changes it was a wonderful Christmas,” Johnson said.