Fire upends Christmas charity in Michigan but thousands of kids will still get gifts
CTV
Donations are pouring in at a beloved Christmas charity after smoke damage from a fire stymied plans for the delivery of wrapped gifts for thousands of children in western Michigan.
Donations are pouring in at a beloved Christmas charity after smoke damage from a fire stymied plans for the delivery of wrapped gifts for thousands of children in western Michigan.
Santa Claus Girls of Kent County has been going door-to-door with gifts for more than a century in the Grand Rapids area, delighting families that are struggling during the holidays.
But the all-volunteer group has been scrambling since a fire last week struck a building in Walker where Santa Claus Girls wraps and stores gifts.
"It was like my heart stopped," president Tina Hudson told The Associated Press. "We were on target to service more than 10,000 kids on Dec. 9. We had half of our gits wrapped and bagged and ready to go out the door."
The good news: Flames didn't reach the area used by Santa Claus Girls. The bad news: Smoke filled the space for hours.
"Everything's contaminated -- that was the word that was used by the insurance company," Hudson said Thursday. "You could smell a bonfire smell."
The holiday isn't lost. Santa Claus Girls will instead deliver gift cards for 8,500 children to be used at Meijer, a local big-box store. Hudson wouldn't disclose how much each family will receive but said the cost will be covered by insurance.
