It’s a day many of Lawrence County’s students with developmental disabilities look forward to all year. For two decades Elks Lodge No. 177 has hosted a Christmas party at which DD students are treated to Santa Claus, pizza and presents.

Nearly 70 elementary and middle school students congregated in the Rock Hill Elemetary School gymnasium for an event that not only brings joy to the students, but teachers and parents as well.

“I’m so excited for today. It’s such a blessing to do this,” Mary Easterling, exalted ruler of the Elks Lodge, said. “The kids look forward to this all year long and it’s good for them to smile and that’s what the teachers and parents like to see them do.”

Coal Grove Giovanni’s donated pizzas. “They’re always willing to help,” Easterling said.

Every student receives a bag of presents at the party. Easterling, who teaches sixth grade math at Dawson-Bryant, said each student submits a list to Elks’ members and, if possible, everything on the list is purchased and given to them just after sitting on Santa’s lap.

“Some of the lists are really, really long so they have to be condensed,” Easterling said. “One year we had a child ask for a chainsaw. Needless to say we didn’t get it.”

Karen Reed was in attendance to spend the day with her son, Aaron, a fourth-grader at Dawson-Bryant.

“He saw Santa Claus and starting crying because he was so excited. This is wonderful,” she said. “There is not one unhappy kid here. They truly enjoy it. I’m not saying typical kids wouldn’t love this, but these kids are extremely appreciative of all this.”

Donna Bickford, a speech pathologist at Rock Hill, has been attending the event since its inception.

“It’s incredible to see each child so happy,” she said. “It’s not only the gifts that make today so special. It’s the atmosphere created by what the Elks do for these children.”