Share Your Christmas with an Angel brings legend to ife

Legend has it that a long, long time ago there was a man whose wife died of a severe illness. The man was left alone with his three daughters.

The family was forced to move into a small cottage because all the man's money and possessions were lost. The daughters were forced to do their own cooking, sewing, and cleaning, while the father looked for work whereever he could find it.

One night after the girls had washed their clothes they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That very night Saint Nicholas, who had heard of their desperate situation, visited the house after everyone had gone to bed.

Saint Nicholas noticed that the girls had hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. He snuck through the house and placed three small bags of gold, one in each of the stockings hung to dry over the fireplace.

The family lived happily ever after, and now children all over the world hang their stockings out each Christmas Eve, hoping Saint Nicholas will look kindly upon them and place gifts in their stockings.

This year there will be some children and some senior adults, Angels of Christmas, who may find placing gifts in their stockings and under their tree a difficult experience. So the Daily Dunklin Democrat is sponsoring its Share Your Christmas With An Angel program that will feature children and senior citizens.

The newspaper will feature information about children and adults that will allow members of the community to buy a special Christmas present for those in need during the holiday.

Those who adopt an individual will receive the name, address, and telephone number of the individual(s) they're helping in order to make arrangements with that person or person's family to discover the needs and to deliver the Christmas gifts.

Individuals on the Share Your Christmas With An Angel list have been provided to the Daily Dunklin Democrat by area schools, churches, or nursing homes. The only way individuals can get on the list is if they are referred to the Daily Dunklin Democrat by one of these organizations. Each individual placed on the list is screened and verified as legitimate.

Persons to contact at the offices of the Daily Dunklin Democrat if you want to be a sponsor include Debbie Wright, Kathrine Duncan, Jack Rollins, or Bud Hunt.

When an individual's needs have been met, that will be indicated by the paper as "adopted."

Angel No. 1 -- ADOPTED

Senior citizen at Heritage Nursing Center in Kennett. Needs: Shirts [medium], candy, socks, handkerchieves.

Adopted by Women Adult 3 Sunday School Class at Friendship Baptist Church.

Angel No. 2

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett, with four siblings. Needs: Groceries, dolls, toys, games.

Angel No. 3

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett, one sibling. Needs: Shoes, clothes, toys.

Angel No. 4

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett, one sibling. Needs: Shoes, clothes, toys.

Angel No. 5 -- ADOPTED

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett. Needs: Clothes, groceries, toiletries, toys, games.

Adopted by Southern Missouri Bank in Kennett.

Angel No. 6 -- ADOPTED

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett. Needs: Clothes, groceries, toiletries, toys, games.

Adopted by Dr. Tate's office in Kennett.

Angel No. 7 -- ADOPTED

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett [sibling]. Needs: Clothes, groceries, Christmas tree, toys, games.

Adopted by the Okeena General Assembly Church.

Angel No. 8 -- ADOPTED

Student at South Elementary School in Kennett [sibling]. Needs: Clothes, groceries, Christmas tree, toys, games.

Adopted by the Okeena General Assembly Church.