By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
The Santa Claus Girls have a long history in Kent County, dating from 1909 in fact. These days they operate out of the Knoll Inc. building on 36th in Kentwood.
Over the years, some things have changed but one thing hasn’t — an army of volunteers work to keep up the tradition of buying, wrapping and delivering presents to more than 10,000 kids in Western Michigan. WKTV visited the Santa Claus Girls workshop recently and talked about that legacy with Maggie Moerdyke.
And what motivates that army?
“Why do they do what they do?” Maggie Moerdyke, a buyer for the Santa Claus Girls, said to WKTV in a recent interview. “It is important to them to make sure every child has that gift, no matter what their circumstance.”
While the kids each get a new toy and candy — what else would be expected? They also get hand-made, knitted winter hats and mittens. And those come from an army all by themselves.
The knitted hats and mittens come from “geriatric associations, from just from grandmas on the street,” she said. “Those all come from our community, very lovingly and very givingly.”
For more information visit santaclausgirls.org or visit their Facebook page.
