Benton Courier - Care Center provides for 94 children with its annual Christmas party

The Care Center of Benton, along with the Family Church of Bryant, First Baptist Church of Benton and the Village Woodworkers of Hot Springs Village, came together this holiday season to spread Christmas joy to families in Saline County with sacks of groceries and bundles of toys.
On Thursday, the months of planning and work came to fruition as those families were brought together to receive their gifts at a Christmas party at First Baptist Church.
   “I know the Care Center is very grateful to the residents of Saline County for their outpouring of contributions and gifts to make this event possible,” said Brenda Burton, the director of the Care Center and an organizer of the Christmas party. “We started planning and receiving donations in October to help out low-income families in Saline County with not only Christmas gifts, but with Christmas dinners too.”
   The Care Clinic, which has been in existence for 23 years, started the idea of the Christmas party to donate food and gifts for low-income families four years ago. Burton said that as more people find out about what they are doing to help families in Saline County, the more donations they receive and the more they can help those in need.
This year the residents of Saline County donated enough toys for 94 children. There were also enough to set aside in case more children in need were found.
Burton said many of the children that spend time with the Care Center thought they were just helping serve a dinner at the Christmas party.
   “Not only did we surprise those children at the party, but we also have a surprise for them on Christmas morning with gifts at the care center,” said Burton. “Whatever we can do to help them enjoy Christmas ... that is our aim.”   According to Burton, the Village Woodworkers of Hot Springs Village get together at the beginning each year to handcraft 580 wooden toys to donate to the children. Those toys include anything from pull toys, doll high chairs and cradles, games, planes, music boxes, toy tractors, walk toys, desks, chests and more.
   “What they do is a labor of love,” Burton said. “They work from January to the holiday season to get those toys ready for children in Arkansas. These kids love them and they are constructed in such a manner that they can cherish them forever ... they are long-lasting toys.”
   The group also donates their toys to four other organizations in Arkansas besides the Care Clinic of Benton, including the Mountain Pine Headstart, Hillcrest Children’s Home in Hot Springs, Ouachita Children’s Headstart and Garland County Foster Parents.
   The food distributed to the families in Saline County was provided by the Family Church of Bryant and Burton said that pastor Perry Black and the congregation worked passionately to collect food to distribute at the Christmas party. She said that the church also purchased vouchers for free turkeys to give to the families.
   “It is a tremendous blessing for the clients,” said Burton. “Each family not only got a large sack of food for a Christmas dinner, but they got a free turkey. I can’t say enough of what pastor Black and his church have done for these families. The food provided from the church enables them to have a Christmas meal with family.”
   For more information about the Care Clinic of Benton under the ministry of First Baptist Church, contact Burton at 778-LOVE. The Village Woodworkers of Hot Springs Village meet on the second Wednesday of every month in the Ouachita room of the Ponce De Leon Center in Hot Springs Village. The Family Church of Bryant is located at 21815 Interstate 30 in Bryant. The First Baptist Church of Benton is located at 211 South Market St. in Benton.

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