The employees of Star Communications believe in giving back to the community. Each year during the Christmas season, employees make donations that go towards purchasing gifts for the children and adults who are part of the Department of Social Services system.
According to Phoebe McGavock, vice president for human resources at Star, the company and its employees have been making the donations for nearly two decades. Star Communications matches the employees’ donations and splits the contribution between Sampson and Bladen counties.
“Star feels we have the best employees in North Carolina,” McGavock said. “Star employees have always felt that Christmas is a time of year that brings warmth to our hearts and reminds us how fortunate and blessed we are. When your heart overflows it just feels right to share with your neighbors.”
This year, Star made a contribution of $1,381 to the Christmas Cheer program sponsored by the Sampson County Department of Social Services. That money is in turn used to provide children and adults in the care of Social Services the experience of receiving a gift at Christmas. DSS takes the donations and uses it to purchase age appropriate toys, games clothing for the children and personal hygiene items and clothing for the adults.
McGavock said she feels the employees of Star continue to give because of the goodness that lies in each of their hearts.
“Once you take the first step of giving, it’s that positive feeling you continuously get in your heart that grows,” McGavock shared.
A party is hosted with the funds for the children and foster parents, then the foster parents are presented with the items that have been purchased for the children, so that they may be given to the children on Christmas morning.
“This program benefits so many elderly and disabled adults, as well as children that can not be with their families at Christmas,” Lynn Fields, local program manager, said about donating. “Christmas is about the spirit of giving and the fact the community is willing to come together and provide gifts to help make Christmas special for people they may never meet, demonstrates the spirit of Christmas in it’s purest form.”
The department doesn’t purchase extravagant items, normally getting a pair of pants, a shirt, underwear, shoes, socks and personal hygiene items for the adults. For the children, the department purchases clothing and tries to get some age appropriate items of the child’s wish list.