Calipatria prison Tootsie Tree Drive provides students with a Christmas miracle
NILAND – Mere days before Santa’s arrival, festively dressed students at Grace Smith Elementary School in Niland went to school the morning of Thursday, December 21 to find something of a Christmas miracle.
Rows of brightly colored tote bags and brand new bikes provided by the Calipatria State Prison lined the gymnasium as classes entered single file. One by one, tiny faces sparkled with joy as they were greeted by the CSP mascot, Tough Teddy, with a fist bump at the door. They eagerly found their seats as they gazed upon the toys some could only dream of having.
Behind the scenes, a team of CSP staff volunteers (and at least one retiree) have been preparing for the annual event for weeks. Rosie Montanez, Case Records Analyst for
CSP and lead organizer of the giveaway event, referred to last week as “hell week” as she raced to finish the final round of speed shopping at Walmart, Dollar General, and Ross.
“This is like my baby,” said Montanez. “I need my team though, I can’t do it by myself.”
Montanez has been participating in the Annual Tootsie Tree Drive event for 14 of her 16 years with CSP. Case Records Analysts Tina Shafer, Case Records Technician Debi Sheehan, Inmate Assignment Office Technician Mary Rodriguez, Case Records Analyst Dolores Couchman, and retired Case Records Technician Judy Vista, who make up the team of volunteer staff she referenced, have been friends for just as long.
“Some of us grew up together,” said Montanez. The ladies took a moment to reminisce about kids’ reactions from years past, adding that this year will likely be no different. Poverty is a pervasive reality in the community of Niland, and such a grand gesture by CSP is often the highlight of the season for them. One year, they discussed, a young boy was so happy to receive warm socks in his gift bag and immediately put them on.
“He didn’t have any socks on,” said Couchman. “He took his shoes off and he put his
socks on and he goes, ‘Oh, this feels so good!’” This kind of reaction happens all the time, said volunteers. Montanez spoke of a similar account of a child being so overwhelmed by the experience that he actually ran into the hallway and sobbed in the corner. “He said ‘I can’t take that, that’s a lot,” continued Montanez. “Then he goes ‘Okay, I’ll take one item and you can give the rest to someone else’.”
Those kinds of stories make this labor of love more than worth it, said the ladies. Some items in the gift bags are donated by members of the community outside of CSP staff, and one woman’s homemade scarves in particular have become favorite over the last few years. The students are so happy to see the colorful winter-wear that they often walk around the gym wearing it all at once, said Couchman.
“My mother-in-law does all the scarves,” said Couchman. “This year, she and I also donated some blankets too.”
Other donated items such as candy canes, art kits, Nerf guns, snacks, and figurines also add to the wow-factor for the students. To top it all off, two bikes per grade level were donated and given away to students who were nominated by their teachers usually for good grades, good behavior, or based on need.
Excited students squirmed in their seats as they received their holiday gifts while a lucky few were chosen to receive the coveted bikes. Gifts were presented by CSP staff
Chief Deputy Warden Sam Venero, Associate Warden Sonia Padilla, Correctional Sergeant Frances Martinez, and Brawley Union High School volunteer Seth Johnson who appeared as Tough Teddy.
“It’s a blessing just to see them happy,” said Montanez of the growing coordinated effort. “These kids don’t have a lot.”