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67th APS fulfills wishes of children with special needs

  • Published
  • By Lee Anne Hensley
  • Hilltop Times
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH --  Christmas is a holiday that is ripe with traditions, and the 67th Aerial Port Squadron has maintained the same Christmas tradition for the past 19 years. For the 19th year in a row, the Reserve unit brought Santa to the Mound Fort Junior High School in Ogden on Monday to give gifts and treats and grant the wishes of children in the school's special needs class.

Each year, Santa has been played by Chief Master Sgt. David Sill, who arrives at the school with his entourage of elves from the 419th Fighter Wing and its 67th APS. Santa needed all the help he could get this year, since each of the eight children in Ms. Tami Youngman's special needs class received a 13-gallon plastic bag filled with gifts.

"Every year we ask Tami to provide a list of items the kids want and need," Chief Sill said. "Every time she sends us the lists, she prefaces it with, 'I never expect you guys to get everything on this list,' but it is our goal to get every last item on those lists. It's what Santa would do!"

The 67th APS collects donations from its current and past members, as well as local businesses, throughout the year. Due to a recent deployment, the squadron was unable to begin shopping for the gifts outlined in the lists until earlier this month. Up until a few hours before Santa's estimated time of arrival, members of the Reserve unit and a local businessman, Merrill Moore of ACD Direct in Layton, were buying the last few items to fulfill everyone's wish lists, including the teachers' lists.

"Merrill is determined to ensure that the lists are completely fulfilled," Chief Sill said.

Ms. Youngman said the items on her students' lists range from hygienic and academic supplies, such as disinfecting wipes and pencils, to simple, everyday items that bring her students joy.

"One of my kids really likes can openers, so that was one item on his list," she said.

Of all the opened presents that covered Nikki Walton's desk, the latex gloves were the ones that received most of her attention. She sat quietly for almost 20 minutes as she took the gloves on and off, and rolling the fabric slowly between her fingers when her hands were gloved.

"It is great to see the kids get such joy out of the things in life we normally take for granted," said Chief Master Sgt. Liz Atisme, 419th FW command chief, echoing the sentiments expressed by the other helpers who accompanied her Monday afternoon in the classroom. This is Chief Atisme's fifth year escorting Santa in Ms. Youngman's classroom and she says the principal reason she keeps coming back is "to watch the kids' faces light up when Santa comes in."

Even the elves get that response from the kids. Staff Sgt. Ruby Contreras and Hailey Brown, both of the 67th APS, dressed in full elf costume to complete Santa's ensemble. Arriving before the elf himself, they waited inconspicuously in the hallway of the classroom for Santa, but not before Mercedes De La Fuente, a returning student to Ms. Youngman's class, spotted the two elves. A smile immediately spread across her face and her hands and arms flapped in quiet joy each time she looked at them while she sat patiently at her desk.

"After people come here once to help out, they get hooked," Chief Sill said. "You've got to come back just see the children's faces light up."

Tech. Sgt. Tim Moorehead, an Air Reserve Technician with the 419th FW, admits he's hooked. This was his sixth year celebrating Christmas with Ms. Youngman's class, for which he gladly takes leave time to attend. "It's fun to show up and hand out toys. Usually I go shopping for the gifts, too."

Sergeant Moorehead said this tradition holds a special place in his heart because he has a son with autism who is also in junior high school in Logan.

Chief Sill said the Reserve unit's generosity has been shared with other classrooms at the junior high school in recent years.

"Teachers have asked how they could get on our list because they also have students with needs," he said, noting that some of those needs include a warm jacket or necessary school supplies. "So we try to help out with other classrooms, as well."

For Ms. Youngman, who has taught in the same classroom for the past 18 years of the 19 years the squadron has maintained this tradition, she is grateful and looks forward to this event every year. "We are so appreciative of all of their efforts."