TREKK Gives Back: A Community Christmas

By Mike Klasing, PLS | Survey Service Lead

Ever since my wife started teaching, she has identified kids who need support, and we have “adopted” a child to help at Christmas. Many teachers have this tradition, and I found it was also common with a former TREKK employee, Steve Wilson, whose wife is also a teacher at Hallsville schools.

During my first year at TREKK, Steve and I put our heads together to extend the tradition to families in need. Many of these kids come from broken and dysfunctional homes. They don’t get much other than what is provided by the community.

The news of our efforts spread throughout the Columbia TREKK office, and other employees wanted to help as well. TREKK has purchased presents, and individual employees like Robert Perry will go to multiple stores, multiple times to buy the items the kids want as he really enjoys helping them!

TREKK’s first adopt-a-family was in 2016. Now each year as we get close to Christmas, we reach out to teachers and counselors at the Hallsville School District to get a family assigned to us. Over the years the volunteer effort has grown into a master list compiled by the Hallsville City Administrator who coordinates the kids being adopted by businesses, churches and individuals.

After the presents are collected at City Hall, us volunteers meet up the weekend before Christmas to deliver the presents. It has grown into quite an effort with dozens of families being adopted each Christmas in our community.

I know it sure feels good doing it, and we all look forward to it each year. This is the true definition of IMPROVING LIVES!