Christmas coming early for youth

Once again, Cannon Air Force Base is bringing an early Christmas to the young residents of the New Mexico Christian Children’s Home.

The annual Christmas party, in which the 27th Special Operations Medical Group provides gifts and the children’s home provides the music, is scheduled for Sunday at the home. About 65 children and teenagers — all of the youth under the care of the home, the children of staff members and those involved in the single parent program — have sponsors who committed to provide presents.

“I think it’s very important for the kids to see there are other people who care about them, and these people are sharing their lives with these kids, and I think that’s neat,” said children’s home Assistant Director of Church Relations and party organizer Michelle Long.

Yolanda Infante, a medical group civilian employee who’s also planning the event, said she receives a list of the home’s children, including information about them and what things they like. Then, she said, members of the medical group pick a child, or two, or maybe even three, to buy gifts for to “make their holidays special and exciting.”

“We never have enough kids because we run out of kids before we run out of sponsors,” Infante said.

The “Mighty Medics” who don’t sponsor a child may help in different ways, such as donating items such as toothbrushes, books and mittens for any children’s home resident who needs them.

Infante said about 100 people, medical group members and their families, attend the party.

Children’s home resident David Slusser, 18, said the event is fun and he most enjoys getting to talk with the people from Cannon because they have a lot of good things to say. He has attended for about five years.

“I think it’s really generous of them, and nice,” Slusser said.

The party starts with the children singing Christian songs. Long said they have been practicing for several weeks and perform the numbers for several groups.

“And it’s the kids’ way of being able to tell Cannon how much they appreciate them coming out,” she said.

After the songs, Santa calls children up individually to receive gifts, and the sponsors, if they can attend, talk with the children. While they’re at it, they can munch on holiday treats, too.

“The Mighty Medics look forward to this event every year, and they do it with so much love, it’s unbelievable,” Infante said. “Our reward is the smile on these faces, and the love these children have is outstanding, between us and them.”