Victoria business plays Santa for area foster children

VICTORIA - A merry Christmas awaits many area foster children thanks to the staff of Hilb, Rogal and Hobbs Insurance in Victoria, Texas.

After hearing about a need for Christmas gift donations for abused and neglected children now under the protection of Lutheran Social Services foster care, HRH employees Yolé Delgado and Kay Burttschell visited the LSS Family Services office at 3904 John Stockbauer Street and chose 11 area children's names and wish-lists from an 'angel tree.' That gesture started a chain reaction that would lead to more than 40 children having their Christmas wishes come true.

"I was unsure of the response I would get from my co-workers but I just couldn't make myself put any of the names back on the tree," Burttschell said.

When they returned to their office and told their co-workers about the project, the response was startling. "They all agreed that we needed to give these kids the gifts they asked for. Those who liked to shop volunteered to do the shopping and others just wanted to know how much money was needed when we were done."

Burttschell and the rest of her co-workers spent three days hunting down every gift on the childrens' wish lists in a trek that took them from Victoria to El Campo, Buda, San Marcos and Sugar Land.

"When the donation envelope was passed around, we ended up with more money than we had spent, so back to LSS we went," Burttschell said. This time seven more names were chosen, including a child with cerebral palsy. "This little girl stole our hearts. She only had a 'needs' list, so we took care of the needs first, and then gave her a wants list."

HRH employees wrapped and delivered more than 50 gifts to the LSS Family Services office. But the story would not end there. Word of the undertaking had passed to family and friends, and the giving spirit began to touch others.

"Our enthusiasm for buying gifts for the LSS kids quickly spread to my mother in El Campo, who told our church about the project," Burttschell said. As a result, 35 gifts for 11 more children were bought, wrapped and delivered by members of Christ Lutheran Church of El Campo. Another 13 children were chosen to receive gifts from Victoria Insurance Professionals, bringing the total to 42 children.

"We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the people in Victoria and the surrounding area," said Janice Cook, area director of LSS Family Services. "To all those who took the time, energy and money to make this Christmas incredible for foster children in our area, we thank you from the heart and wish you a very merry Christmas."

Of the entire adventure, Burtschell said "Thank you, LSS, for all you do for these children year round, and for letting us help out in this small way during the Christmas Season! Words cannot express the joy we had in fulfilling the wish list for these children. It truly is better to give than to receive!"

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