By Kim Hilsenbeck.
On a cold, rainy Saturday morning with wind blowing steadily, volunteers from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Brown Santa program gathered to wrap toys and presents for several hundred children. Eighteen teams led by deputies then spread out to spread some holiday cheer around the county.
One convoy of four vehicles delivered the gifts, along with food for a Christmas dinner, to houses in the Green Pastures neighborhood east of Kyle. Many of the residences were mobile homes; a majority showed evidence of poverty and dilapidation. Dogs ran around many yards, the occasional loose dog was in the street.
Lt. Dennis Gutierrez, right, of the HCSO has been leading the Brown Santa toy drive for more than 25 years. (Photos by Kim Hilsenbeck) |
Lt. Dennis Gutierrez of the HCSO has led the Brown Santa toy drive for more than 25 years. He and his family spend hours each year delivering items to those who can use a little extra help. He said sometimes he’ll go to a house where it looks like they’re doing fine – they may have big screen TVs or video gaming systems.
“There are always going to be scammers,” Gutierrez said, “but you never know the situation. Maybe someone just lost their job or they’re about to have their house foreclosed. I tell everyone, if you see something like that, turn the other cheek because the next house you go to will break you heart.”
At each home, Gutierrez approached first, clearing the area of dogs and talking briefly with the residents of the home. After the gifts and food, which included hams, turkeys, bread and gallons of milk, were taken inside, he called out “Merry Christmas” and “Feliz Navidad,” as many of the residents were Spanish speakers.
Along the route, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, fathers and children met volunteers at the door. The faces on the children and families who accepted the donations indicated their gratitude. “Thank you” and “Gracias” were heard over and over again throughout the morning.
One of the Brown Santa volunteer families, Kristina and Zakk Vannoi of Dripping Springs, started three years ago.
“We love doing it and we baked cookies,” Kristina said.
Daughters Abby, 10, and Emma, 8, helped bake the cookies. They took a plastic container to each home.
Nancy and Craig Banning of San Marcos, along with their 16-year-old daughter Kaitlyn, have been delivering with Gutierrez for about six years.
“It’s an awesome experience to see the smile you put on the children’s faces,” Nancy said.
Some families have been helping Brown Santa with deliveries for years. Delivery of food and presents was welcomed with “Thank you” and “Gracias.” |
Her husband added, “Some of the homes you go to you can tell they’re not going to have a good Christmas.”
Kristin Sheffield of San Marcos and her sons, London, 10, and Lawson, 8, were part of the volunteer crew. What is Brown Santa to them?
“Helping out families that need…” London trailed off as Gutierrez called out for a delivery of a turkey and a ham. The crew sprang into action. At many houses, Gutierrez also dropped off a new soccer ball.
At one home, Rosanna Rivera said the delivery of gifts and food would make Christmas a little easier this year. Two small children standing next to her looked up and said “thank you.”
Down the road in what appeared to be a converted storage shed with only two rooms visible, a mother, Joanna Chavez, welcomed the delivery. She said it means a lot to her family, which includes a four-year-old boy standing near the door and a 10-month-old boy crawling on the other side of the room.
“This year has been really rough,” she said. “My husband lost his job and I quit working to have a baby. So [getting the Brown Santa delivery] really means a lot. At least one day out of the year to have something good.”
