I walked down the stairs and was greeted by a magical scene. Snowflakes were hanging from the ceiling, two tables were set up with coloring activities, a huge doll house stood in the center of the room, a batman station rested in one corner, Paw Patrol in another area, a train table with every train imaginable on one side, and a massive racetrack on the other. You would have thought I was entering a Toys R Us store!
But this was much better than a Toys R Us store: this was “Santa Cares,” an opportunity for children with various disabilities to come play, color, have some snacks, and see Santa. Behind the scenes is a remarkable husband-and-wife team who decided three years ago that there was a need for an alternative place for children with special needs to meet Santa. “Extra care is taken to support sensory, physical, and other developmental needs of children. There are no lines, no pressure, and no fuss!”
Lindsay and Jay LeBlanc took it upon themselves to create this amazing event. They bring all these incredible toys from their own house for the children to play with. They provide coloring books, crayons, gluten-free candy canes, and stickers, and each child gets a small toy to take home. They provide all the volunteers, including the magnificent Santa Claus!
The LeBlancs are having a positive impact on children with special needs out of the goodness of their hearts. They are making a difference in our community. Lindsay told me that last year, a family drove hours to this event so their child could see Santa for the first time. Their child was very sick and had never seen Santa. This was a wonderful venue for the child to meet Santa and have their picture taken. The LeBlancs have made a lasting impression on this family as well over 15 more families.
Thank you Lindsay and Jay for putting together a fantastic event for children with special needs and their families in our community!