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PIERCETON - Santas come in all shapes and sizes.
In Pierceton, Karey "Stoney" Burk fills the bill nicely.
Burk, a Vietnam veteran, has been playing Santa, with the help of the Pierceton churches, elementary school and American Legion, for the last six years. What started out as a small effort by one man to make sure the less fortunate families in Pierceton had a traditional Christmas dinner, has grown into a community effort to help make the holiday season joyous for everyone, even those families having a hard time making ends meet.
"I started out six years ago and got three turkeys to give to needy families," Burk said. "I got 11 the second year, and I had 62 turkeys last year."
Burk said he has 48 turkeys to give away this year.
In addition to the numbers of meals increasing over the years, the project has expanded to include toys for the children in the recipient families.
"St. Francis (Xavier) Church has been donating toys for the kids and they are delivered with the Christmas dinner food," Burk said.
He said he began the Christmas dinner project because he knows what it is like to be wanting over the holidays and he's trying to ensure the children of Washington Township didn't have those memories of the holidays.
"I grew up without and I wanted the kids to have the things I didn't," Burk said.
But he is quick to point out the annual project couldn't be a success without the help of many people in the Pierceton community.
"To all my friends who have donated money, and the Pierceton Elementary School for collecting the canned food, and the antique dealers and other businesses in town who help so much, I just want to say thank you," he said. "I want them to know how much I appreciate their help with the program."
Burk also thanked his employer Lex Dalton, of Dalton Inc., for allowing him the time to coordinate the food collection project and for his generous donations.
Burk added that St. Francis has also contributed greatly to the program, providing 189 toys to area children last year.
Fred Delacruz, who handles the toy collection for St. Francis, said the church saw combining efforts with Burk to be a natural extension of the church's toy project.
"We've been doing the toy give-away for the last seven years, and we saw working with Karey as a natural extension of that," Delacruz said. "When you deliver the toys to the kids, they just go crazy. You'd have to be there to experience the joy."
He said this year St. Francis is trying to work in conjunction with Pierceton United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church to collect toys to spread even more joy to the little ones.
Deb Thomas, of Pierceton Elementary, said the school provides canned food to the project that the students collect in a food drive.
"We participate with Karey Burk because it teaches the kids about giving and helping others," she said. "And the kids enjoy it. Plus, the class that brings in the most food receives a popcorn party."
Burk said members of Pierceton American Legion Post 258 will be delivering the meals - complete with all the fixings - Dec. 19. The names of the recipient families are provided by Pierceton Elementary and the Washington Township trustee.
