BY HEATHER HARTSELL
Children at the Lonoke County Exceptional School in Cabot had an early visit from Santa Claus Wednesday, thanks in part to the local Kiwanis Club, Century 21 Real Estate Unlimited and All for Pets veterinary clinic. The students waited eagerly for the jolly man to arrive. When he walked through the door the excitement could not be contained.
As children waited their turn to receive a present from Santa, the sounds of wrapping paper being torn could be heard around the room. Some were a bit leery of the big man in the red suit with the big white beard and preferred taking their gift from one of Santa’s helpers, others climbed onto Santa’s lap and told him what they wanted under their tree come Christmas morning.
Each boy and girl received a present from Santa. The boys all got vehicles that were being driven around the floor, and all the girls got baby dolls clutched in their arms. Santa made his trip with help from the Kiwanis Club of Cabot’s Young Children – Priority One committee chaired by Billie Howard, Century 21 Real Estate Unlimited in Cabot and the staff at All for Pets veterinary clinic with Dr. Teresa Allen, the current president for the Kiwanis Club.
“This is our Christmas project,” Howard said. “We get gifts for the boys and girls every year.” Barbara Morris, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Lonoke Exceptional School-Cabot, remarked that the Kiwanis Club, along with Century 21 Real Estate Unlimited, have been “awesome” in their support and help at the school.
“We can’t thank them enough,” Morris said. “If we need anything, they are right there for us; they are really special to us,” Morris added. The Lonoke Exceptional School is a childcare, preschool for developmentally challenged children that evaluate the child’s speech and language skills, fine and gross motor skills, self-help skills, social-emotional skills and cognitive skills. They serve the Lonoke, Pulaski, Prairie, Jefferson and White county areas with locations in Lonoke and Cabot. Kiwanis International, founded in 1915, is comprised of service- minded individuals who work to respond to the unique needs in their communities and are dedicated to serving the children of the world and improving the quality of life worldwide. The Young Children-Priority One committee gives special emphasis to projects in support of children from prenatal through age five.