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Making wishes come true photo by Andrew Mariman Kelee and Mike Taylor, of Central Point, stop and look over the Secret Santa tree with their children, Mikee, 7, and Emilee, 5. By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune At Christmas, Dale Kenyon figures, every kid should have a wish come true. Even if the kid's family is poor. Even if he's in foster care. Even if she's been abused. Even if the rest of the year, reality leaves little room for bare necessities, let alone a PlayStation 2. "If they can have their wishes filled just once, it gives them hope for the future," says Kenyon, 52, who has spent the past eight holiday seasons instilling hope in Southern Oregon children through Christmas trees decorated with child-sized cardboard hands. Kenyon is the force behind "Dale's Christmas Helping Hands," a nonprofit agency that last year provided thousands of gifts to some 700 disadvantaged kids in Jackson and Klamath counties. And not just any gifts. Unlike some other providers of free presents, Kenyon makes it her mission to give kids exactly what's on their Christmas lists, no matter how unusual or expensive. "I don't censor their lists. That's why the PlayStations are on there," says Kenyon, whose clients are referred by local and state social service agencies and churches. Families are screened carefully against master lists, then asked to write down kids' requests, which are printed on the cardboard "hands" and hung on artificial trees in a half-dozen area businesses. Donors select tags from the trees, buy the gifts and bring them back to the sites for distribution. Last year, one boy wanted a genuine leather basketball. Another one wanted a mountain bike. A family requested a computer. They all got what they asked for. "If it's meant to be, there's somebody out there willing to buy that," says Kenyon. The goal of the project is to provide presents for children while at the same time preserving the dignity of their parents, says Kenyon. As a single mother of four now-grown children, she accepted similar charity during a lean holiday season and still stings at the memory. "I've seen the things the kids get," says Kenyon, who accepts used computers and electronic games such as PlayStations, but not used toys or clothes. "It's very hard to give something to somebody and not make them feel less." Kenyon started the project in 1993 as an employee with the Jackson County branch of the state children's services agency. Her boss asked her to help gather presents for about 200 children who weren't eligible for other programs. Immediately, Kenyon was hooked. "I just want the kids to actually have it, whatever it is they want," says Kenyon, who solicits donations of $50,000 to $100,000 from businesses to help subsidize the effort. "This is my Christmas spirit." In 1999, Kenyon changed jobs, taking a position with the state employment department in Klamath Falls. She expanded the program, which has provided presents for as many as 1,000 area kids. December is always an intense month, says Kenyon, who sorts, checks and packages presents into large black plastic garbage bags for delivery by the Oregon Army National Guard. She provides paper and ribbon so parents can wrap the gifts. "Dale is amazing," says Connie Skillman, a manager with the local community partnership program of the state Department of Human Services. "She makes such a difference in these children's lives." If this year is typical, Kenyon will receive requests for gifts right up until Christmas Eve. Even at that late date, Kenyon has been known to perform miracles, says daughter Cindy Bennett, 33. "If anybody can fulfill your wish, it's my mom," she says. "We couldn't afford Christmas growing up and she always made ours come true." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.