LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Santa's elves in Lexington are hard at work spreading holiday cheer.
Operation: Secret Santa delivers toys to families who may be in need of a little extra magic this holiday.
"I think for the girl, we could get Barbie accessories."
9-year-old Scarlett is one of Santa's helpers. She, along with other volunteers, is part of the operation.
"I love picking out toys and seeing what they like, but my most favorite part is delivering the toys," explains Scarlett.
What started off as an idea in 2016 has turned into an operation of volunteers delivering toys to the front doorsteps of families who may need a little extra of Santa's magic this holiday season.
Katie Keys is the executive director of Lift Up Lexington, the parent organization of Operation: Secret Santa.
"Our mission is to deliver Christmas magic to families doorsteps without barriers," says Keys. "We have volunteers here in the workshop helping us, and then we have other volunteers called delivery elves. We will give them a manifest that tells them about the children in the home, and what they are asking for Christmas. We will give them a burlap sack and they will work their way around our workshop, essentially filling the sack and shopping for those children."
Bourbon n' Toulouse has been involved with Operation: Secret Santa for several years and paid a visit to the workshop last week. They learned that there were quite a few families still in need of Santa's magic. So, they asked their customers to skip their next meal at the restaurant and instead donate to the operation, agreeing to match the first $1,000 donated.
"We decided that we needed to do something to help out because their resources were tapped out," explains Kevin Heathcoat, co-owner of Bourbon n' Toulouse.
Within 24 hours, Heathcoat says his customers raised $17,000.
"With the large voice that we have built over 20 years, we would be horrible people if we didn't use it. At the end of the day, my wife and I like to go to bed thinking that we did okay," says Heathcoat.
An important reminder of what this time of year is all about. Operation: Secret Santa is still short about $7,000.
If you would like to donate visit, https://account.venmo.com/u/OperationSecretSanta
Keys says Santa's elves start purchasing gifts the day after Christmas for next year.
