I belong to a service organization called Junior Auxiliary. Similar to Junior League, we are a non-profit that focuses on women and children. I hold a couple offices within the group, the most fun being public relations officer. Each year, we submit projects to be considered for various awards. This project was submitted as a National Focus project. And.... SURPRISE! We won!!
So we decided to print the narrative that won us the award in the magazine that I work for, Point of Vue. Please enjoy!!
As Christmas approaches, more than visions of sugarplums dance through the minds of some children in Houma. These children are excited because they know Santa will be bringing them a new pair of sneakers this year. With the help of funds raised by Junior Auxiliary of Houma and donations from our local Payless shoe store, J.A. of Houma is able to provide shoes for over 200 children at their annual Santa’s Sneakers event.
Chartered by a group of caring, enthusiastic women in 1973, this local organization comprised only of volunteers continues to grow and thrive. Members work tirelessly throughout the year on a variety of projects that focus on local children and families in need of assistance. As part of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, N.A.J.A. has more than 13,500 members.
The national focus of J.A. is “Healthy Children, Healthy Futures.” Santa’s Sneakers was recently the recipient of the N.A.J.A. National Focus Award due to the outstanding nature of the sneaker project and its relevance to the national focus.
J.A. of Houma believes that by providing children with a pair of new sneakers, they are providing them with a chance to get out and play, to join in the schoolyard games and races and maybe even the
encouragement to join an athletic team. They believe that by receiving a pair of sneakers, a child may no longer have to go barefoot, thereby saving them from ridicule and harassment.
Often times, children’s shoes are over-worn, having been passed down from child to child. These shoes can no longer provide the necessary support and guidance for growing and changing feet. Proper fitting shoes can also aid existing problems such as low arches.
The organization takes special care to properly match each child with the perfect fitting shoe. In November, fitting sessions were held at the Terrebonne Parish Main Library. Professionals from Payless measured each child’s foot to ensure a proper fit and to enable the child to have a comfortable, personalized shoe.
The day of the Santa’s Sneakers event is filled with excitement, for the members of J.A. and the anxiously awaiting children. The membership arrives early to begin setting up for the grand event. On this day, the children are treated to much more than a pair of shoes. Crafts and a fresh, hot meal including hot dogs, nachos, cookies and other homemade sweets are provided for the children and their parents or guardians.
Arts and crafts stations are set up offering multiple projects for the kids to immerse themselves in. Children mix together their own special recipe for reindeer food, made up of different kinds of breakfast cereal, oats and of course the special glitter that helps the reindeer to fly. Another station offers picture frame decorating. Children stand at a craft station filled with Christmas themed foam cutouts including candy canes, holly leaves, snowmen, gingerbread men and snowflakes and a glitter pen, to write their names, and soon plain picture frames are turned into memorable keepsakes.
A Christmas party isn’t complete without a visit from Santa. Since all the children have been so good this year they quickly form a line. They bounce up and down with uncontained excitement as they wait their turn to sit on Santa’s lap for a quick visit and to have their picture taken.
Using a digital camera and photo printers, the J.A. members instantly provide children with their picture to place in their handmade frame.
While the children and their families eagerly anticipate the gift of a pair of shoes as well as the annual event, the true gift is watching the joy on children’s faces as they unwrap their brand new pair of shoes, rejoice as they try them on and race around the gymnasium.
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