A special spree for the holidays

BreAyan Lane didn’t want to wait for Christmas to use a gift she picked out Sunday afternoon at NorthTown Mall’s JC Penney. The 6-year-old Spokane girl slipped the gift on her feet before she even left the department store.

“I’ve never had boots before,” she said.

Lane and about 140 other Spokane children were treated to a shopping spree over the weekend by the Salvation Army. Each young person was given $110, shopping assistance from a volunteer and a post-spree party hosted by students from Upper Columbia Academy High School.

Although most children carried lists written by a parent or caregiver – insulated boots, jackets, jeans and school clothes topped most lists – the kids ran about laughing and squealing as if they were in a toy or candy store. Participants in the shopping spree come from families struggling to meet their basic needs, said Gerriann Armstrong of the Salvation Army. Many of the children were wearing older, ill-fitting clothes. The experience of buying something at a department store was a new experience.

Jenna Wenzel, 6, was at a loss for words when she was asked to describe the contents of her shopping bag.

“Fashion,” she said, smiling.

Brian, an 11-year-old who lives in a transitional housing complex, spotted an electric scooter. “That’s cool, right?” he asked his guide, Mary Lou Hendrix, who whisked him toward the shoe department.

“Who pays for this stuff?” Brian asked.

“Well, a lot of people give and donate,” Hendrix said.

Brian looked at her, then said, “You look like my great-grandma.”

Salvation Army workers and volunteers say the shopping sprees are among their favorite times of the year. The kids come in with so little and leave so happy. A little girl on Saturday chose a reversible jacket. After the spree, she was fixated on continually trying on the jacket and changing its appearance, Armstrong said. Another girl said she hoped her new jacket would reduce teasing from her classmates.

“It’s an opportunity for them to walk into a department store and say, ‘I want that!’ And for the volunteer to say, ‘You can have that!’ ” Armstrong said. “They’re buying regular, name-brand clothes. For some kids, they’ve never had that.”

Many of the volunteers are veterans. They say the experience is a powerful antidote for the craziness of the holiday season.

“We just take a lot for granted,” said Spokane retiree Joanne Harvey.

Volunteer Teresa Tillman said she wanted to set a good example for her three children. “This is just an opportunity to give back.”

The program started six years ago by providing shopping sprees for 50 children. Last year, 126 were quietly selected by their school teachers or counselors for a spree, said Salvation Army Major Joann Markham. Currently, only a handful of Spokane Public Schools elementary schools are involved in the program.

“We’d like to do more. There’s a lot of needy kids out there,” Markham said.

Donations come from throughout the community, including members of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary group. Every dollar collected goes directly to the children, Markham said. Money collected in the Salvation Army red kettles is used to help fund other Salvation Army programs, including its homeless shelter. Every cent collected in Spokane stays in Spokane, Markham added.

Not only are more people needing the Salvation Army’s services, but their needs also seem to be greater, she said.

One girl recently showed up at the shopping spree wearing her dad’s jacket and had socks with so many holes that she was embarrassed to try on new shoes. Another girl put a shirt back on the rack and picked out underwear for her 4-year-old brother. Volunteers made sure the girl was able to get the shirt and the underwear.

Like most of the other young people, Jamie Dewey, 6, wanted to wear her clothes before she left the store. Her mother, Jackie Freeman, watched as she struggled to slide into her thick snowpants. Dewey, who also sported a wide grin, did not want to take off her new clogs before trying on the pants.

Freeman was laid off from her job this year. She has since returned to school and is working a part-time job at a mall kiosk. Dewey, the youngest of three daughters, typically wears hand-me-down clothes from discount stores.

“She’s growing so fast I can’t keep her in clothes,” Freeman said. “I’m just tickled. It’s an awesome program.”

Meanwhile, 8-year-old Logan Ramsey searched JC Penney for a suitable winter jacket.

“I like the coats that go over my hands so I can keep them warm,” he said.

Darlene Packard, his guide, suggested another idea. “Well, how about we go get you a pair of gloves, too?”

Ramsey smiled and nodded and continued searching the coat rack.