After weeks of haunting headlines, the Brainerd Kiwanis Club brought smiles to the faces of 33 Woodmore Elementary School students last week during the club's annual Christmas party at the school.
Each year, the school provides the club with the names of its neediest students and their Christmas lists, and each Kiwanis Club member selects a child and makes all of his or her wishes come true.
This year's festivities, however, were marked with a hint of sadness after a tragic bus accident took the lives of six Woodmore students.
"This has been a real sad one because we had 35 [children] and we lost two of them and one is still in the hospital," said Kiwanian Molly Rich, co-organizer of the event.
Still, club members saw a need, and with the party held in a larger room this year, most of the club members showed up to show their support.
"Our mission is to serve one child at a time," said Jo Beth Kavanaugh, club member and past president.
And as a smile spread across each student's face, the club did just that.