The WBKR Christmas Wish office opens today inside Towne Square Mall.  For nearly four decades, we have been working to make sure families in need get a visit from Santa Claus each holiday season.  And this story is a powerful testament to the program and its reach.  My friend Charlene Brown shared this story with me a couple of years ago and, most recently, on Facebook.  And I want to share it with you.  This is precisely what Christmas Wish is all about.

First, to preface the letter, Charlene shared this video and then explained why . . .

From Charlene Brown's Facebook page:

This song always makes me think of my papaw Jack! My papaw had one leg that was shorter than the other one, and had to have a special heel built up on one of his boots. When I was 12 years old, papaw's boots had worn out, and him and my Mamaw didn't have enough money to buy him a new pair. I wrote a letter to WBKR's Christmas Wish telling them my Papaw needed new boots, and couldn't afford them. They got my Papaw a brand new pair of boots, and they paid for the special built up heel that he needed. When my Papaw passed away in September 2003, my mom and Mamaw were going thru his things to give to each of us. My mom pulled a pair of boots out of Papaw's closet and gave them to me. She asked me if I recognized them, and I said yeah that's the boots Papaw wore.

Photo by Charlene Brown
Photo by Charlene Brown
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And she said yes, but these are the ones that you got for him from WBKR's Christmas Wish. I knew those boots meant a lot to my Papaw, but I really knew how much when he kept that particular pair even when they had worn out! I still have those boots, and wouldn't take all the money in the world for them!!!!

As I mentioned, Charlene first shared this story with us a few years ago.  What I didn't mention is that she shared the story inside the Christmas Wish office.  See, she had come in to adopt a Wish letter of her own.  In her words, Christmas Wish had helped her family years ago and now she was in a position that allowed her to help other families.  And that's what she did.  And that's what we continue to do here at Christmas Wish.

And so begins our 2017 season.  If you are in need this holiday season or know a family that is, please submit your Christmas Wish letter by CLICKING HERE.

The WBKR Christmas Wish office is now open inside Towne Square Mall (the former Body Central location).

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