The first group of families waits Saturday morning at the Stuart Elementary School gym in Bradley County as helpers get organized for the annual community Christmas gifts program called the Empty Stocking campaign.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – As the first group of families entered Stuart Elementary School’s gymnasium Saturday morning, pastor David Riggs had some advice.
“Don’t anybody hold your head down,” he said. “These are your neighbors, helping you out.”
Inside, the gym looked more like a big-box store with aisles of games, toys and sports stuff, Christmas bags stuffed with candy and other treats and a rack along one wall with every size and style of coat imaginable.
Before the day was done, about 650 children, accompanied by volunteer helpers, explored those aisles, picking out four items each to take home for Christmas.
In recent days, Steve Hartline, along with community leaders including Mayor Tom Rowland, devoted his WCLE and Mix 104.1 FM morning show to the Empty Stocking campaign, which has funded the Christmas program for over 40 years. The efforts raised more than $33,000, the most money ever for the Empty Stocking fund.
The registered number may be 650, Hartline said, but many other children will benefit, too.
The program began 65 years ago with the late Rev. M.E. Littlefield, Hartline’s grandfather, distributing gifts from his car to children who needed a little extra cheer at Christmas.
Over the years the program grew into a community event. As Cleveland and Bradley County grew, so did the need, organizers said.
David Riggs is now the pastor of Littlefield’s church, Faith Memorial, and also has become the shopper-in-chief.
“I do a lot of it online, beginning in September,” Riggs said Saturday as volunteers got ready for their first guests. “But we try to keep as much of the shopping as we can in the local community. I’d say about 65 percent is done in the community.”
A volunteer helped each child as parents, grandparents and friends watched and chatted in the gym’s bleachers.
Lesa Hicks and her niece Haley Runion were volunteering this year for the first time. Hicks said it’s a way to give back to the community.
They worked alongside Louise Hickman, who has helped with the program for about 40 years.
Hickman was standing ready at the coat racks, waiting for the crowd of children.
“It’s just one of the most wonderful things I can do,” she said.