Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are seen visiting the Sunny Glen Children’s Home in San Benito last year. (Courtesy photo)
By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
This year, employees and volunteers at Sunny Glen Children’s Home are attempting to make the Christmas holiday extra special for residents by not only hosting an annual Santa Claus themed party to promote fun and gift-giving amongst the children but also attempting to reunite children with their families.
Sandra Rodriguez, Community Relations Coordinator for Sunny Glen, said “This year, we’re going to bring families together. If sibling-groups (residing) in different homes,” Sunny Glen will work to unite them at this event.
Rodriguez stated that if residents “are able to have family-contact, we’re going to try to get them together with their families.” She added that this year also marks the first in which the community has been involved.
“For at least five years,” said Sandra Rodriguez, Community Relations Coordinator for Sunny Glen, “we’ve had a small parade for Christmas.” This year, the parade will feature motorcycles, fire trucks and Mr. and Mrs. Claus, to name a few.
Mrs. Claus will arrive at the Christmas parade with an 18-wheeler, a local motorcycle club, the San Benito Fire Department, the Brownsville Police K-9 Unit and horses from Horse Rides of America.
Santa will arrive by a helicopter provided by Air Evac Lifeteam, an EMS helicopter. The children will receive presents and will open gifts, thereafter enjoying a special luncheon with their friends and possibly members of their immediate families.
Sunny Glen has a total of 22 residents at this time, though the facility can house a maximum of 40. Children’s ages range from newborns to 18, and the facility offers two types of programs.
One program at Sunny Glen Children’s Home is the residential program, which is designed for children in the custody of Child Protective Services. The second program, called Cradle of Hope, is set-up for young mothers and pregnant females under the age of 18. These females and their babies can receive care at Sunny Glen.
Sunny Glen is a basic care facility, where all school-age children attend local public schools. Rodriguez said, “We try to make (life) as normal as possible for them (residents).”
Residents will spend Christmas Day at Sunny Glen in their homes located on campus where “Each house has a set of house parents,” said Rodriguez. “They (house parents and children) will wake up Christmas Day and have a special lunch or dinner and will receive more presents to open.”
Sunny Glen is a Church of Christ organization and is sponsored from churches in San Antonio, Houston and other contributing churches. Gifts received by children are, at least in most cases, provided by private donors. If you would like to donate any gifts or make a monetary contribution to Sunny Glen Children’s Home, call them for more information at (956) 399-5356.
Read this story in the Dec. 23 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
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