For about 10 years, Kim Britton has volunteered to give away Christmas gifts, and she has no plans to stop soon.
“I really love the cause,” the Crown Point resident said. “I really love to serve God’s people, so I’ll take any opportunity I get to serve the community. I just love doing stuff like this.”
On Tuesday, state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, and Councilman Dwight Williams, D-6th, hosted the 37th annual Spirit of Christmas Giveaway at the Calumet Township Multipurpose Center, 1900 W. 41st Ave. The event had more than 700 gifts available on Tuesday, Smith said.
Gifts are available for people of all ages, and they receive a ticket with their gender and age range to bring to their respective table. Volunteers also give snacks to participants during the giveaway.
“I feel like there are so many people out there who could use the help, and you just never know their situation,” Britton said. “This time of year can be really difficult for families because it’s Christmas, and sometimes people don’t have the money to get as many gifts as they would like to. So, they can come here and get a chance to put an extra gift under the tree.”
Smith begins to buy presents the day after Christmas, he said Tuesday.
“I’m shopping the whole year for sales,” Smith said. “The first year we did this, it was expensive for us because we bought everything right before Christmas. So, now I start buying stuff on the 26th of December when it’s on sale.”
As a state representative, Smith sees himself as a public servant, and that’s why he thinks giving back is important, especially this time of year. His Christian faith also guides his desire to continue the gift giveaway.
“When people come out to get their gifts, it’s just really rewarding,” Smith said. “I found that Christmas is the loneliest time of year for some people … and we want them to know that there are some people in this world that care about them, especially when they might not feel like it.”
The Calumet Township Multipurpose Center is in Gary’s Sixth District, which Williams represents. He believes it’s important to give back to the community and be present for the people he represents.
“It’s a good time,” Williams said. “It’s good to know that people want to give back this time of the year and help out their neighbors. … It’s important to give back to the community, during Christmas and any other day, because we have a lot of people living here struggling to stay in their homes and pay their bills on top of everything else this time of year.”
Williams’ favorite part of the gift giveaway is watching children pick out their gifts.
Proselia Walker, a Gary resident, attended the giveaway with two of her grandsons, 4-year-old Keilan Clark and 6-year-old Kamari Johnson. This was Walker’s first year at the giveaway, and she said she brought her grandsons so they could see how the Gary community cares for them.
Walker also said it’s exciting to spend time with her grandchildren and watch them take their time and pick gifts.
“They always do what they want to do,” she said. “I was trying to get Kamari to get a coat because I know it’ll be helpful for his mom, but he wanted to look at the toys.”
Walker is thankful for Smith and Williams and how they give back to Gary. She believes that she’ll be back with her grandchildren in the future.
“It’s amazing,” Walker said. “And it’s a blessing because not everybody has a heart to want to give back. (A lot of people) are about take, take, take, not give, give, give, and that hurts the people who need help.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com