The annual Shaggin’ for Santa event was a huge success, bringing in more than $6,000 to be used for the Family Caregiver Support Program through the Sampson County Department of Aging.
“With funds received from Shaggin’ for Santa, we are able to assist grandparents with Christmas,” Lesia Henderson, director of the program, said. “This isn’t total support for the family, but it helps.”
The Shaggin’ for Santa event is held yearly to raise funds to help purchase clothes, school supplies, toys and send children to summer camp. Last year’s fundraiser collected $5,500 in proceeds that went directly into the program. The final total for this year was $6,451.37.
Robert Stroud with boogieshoesradionetwork.com and Joey Warren with yourbeachmusic.com held a competition between stations and collected $1,150 that was the result of the contest. Donnie Lamm, owner of Nissan of Clinton, donated $2,000 and Robert Honeycutt with the Williams Lake Society donated $500.
Shaggin’ for Santa began 10 years ago as a way to help the grandparents who were raising their grandchildren. Henderson said in the first year, $9,100 was raised. During the second year, $10,500 was raised.
“These funds help grandparents who have been put in hardship situations,” Henderson stressed.
Many of the children who have been placed in the home of a grandparent are there, she pointed out, because the parent(s) may be on drugs, may be abusing the children, the parent(s) may be deceased or simply because the parent(s) no longer wants the children.
“Shaggin’ for Santa extends that hand of help and helps the grandparents with Christmas,” Henderson said. “It’s just something extra we do to help those grandparents who are in need.”