Satanta is unique in its deep commitment to community service, and Christmas presents many opportunities to serve. The 21st Time class at the Satanta United Methodist Church recently delivered nearly 60 gifts to children in Satanta, and the church’s Pairs and Spares Class added gift certificates to Satanta Grocery to the outpouring of giving.
This giving has been a tradition that dates back decades and crosses religious, racial, and social divides with people across Satanta giving in generously. Students at Satanta Grade School got in on the action by bringing canned goods and other items to school for donation to the Satanta Food Pantry. At least four loads of items were given.
Crystal Naylor, Satanta High School KAY sponsor, organized the community service opportunities at the high school. This included care packages for local active members of the military, care packages for aging members Satantans, and food boxes for families at the grade school who might be struggling with the rising cost of food. These items were delivered before the final day of the semester.
Judy Stuckey, Satanta FCCLA sponsor, and her group added four large food boxes to this flurry of giving. These boxes, containing groceries to make Christmas dinner, included her organization’s famous handmade pies. Stuckey’s group also made and delivered hand-tied fleece blankets to every resident at Satanta’s Long-term Care Unit and every neighbor at Legacy Suites.
Other students, led by Ryan Burrows, worked one day at the Dudley Township Library, deep cleaning the children’s section and sanitizing the library’s toys and returned the next day to lead a snowman-based storytime for preschoolers. Other groups traveled to Satanta Grade to play games, complete art projects, and read with younger children who had earned a reward by meeting their attendance goals.
This Christmas was more about our presence than presents, and we wouldn’t have any other way!