While many children look forward to picking out a new book sack each year as they prepare for the new school year, some children never get that chance. With this in mind, Santee Electric Cooperative employees came together to give 22 children at a local children's home new book sacks and school supplies. During the process, something very special happened.
'It was a very, very heartwarming experience,' Angela Coker, accounting specialist said. Coker helped organize the project. She called the children's home and got a list of school supplies for the each child, but she never expected what happened next.
Coker sent out an e-mail to her co-workers which was met with overwhelming support for the project.
'Some employees adopted a child and got everything that individual needed to start back to school. Other employees, who weren't so keen on shopping, gave $100 and said if that wasn't enough to let them know,' Coker said explaining that every high school student received a graphing calculator which cost about $100 each.
Branch office employees who live further away from the main office took their personal time to shop and deliver the needed items. Even employees who rarely volunteer to help with special projects pitched in, she said. Our employees coming together so well was what made this such a wonderful project. Many employees even went out of their way to do extra things and make the children feel special, Coker said. She explained that most employees included candy, special age appropriate toys, coloring books or stickers with the supplies they purchased.
'The children were so appreciative,' Coker said. When she and Mary Grace McGee, marketing representative went to deliver the book sacks Saturday, August 13, they were awe struck.
'To have an 11thgrade boy seen genuinely, sincerely, appreciative was amazing,' Coker said. She said some of the boys even hugged them in appreciation. 'They were so excited.'
The thing that is just as heartwarming is the fact that many of Coker's co-workers want to keep up with the students throughout the year and provide birthday and Christmas presents. What she expected to be just a small project has pulled her and her co-workers together for a good cause and given everyone at Santee Electric Cooperative a warm-fuzzy feeling.