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Students bring holiday cheer to children

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. William M. Tyrrell
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  This year, 2nd. Lt. Nico Gigante, 47th Student Squadron student pilot, decided to help bring holiday cheer to the local children group home.

"I wanted to do something different this holiday," said Gigante. "This has been an awesome feeling knowing that we had made a difference in children's lives."

Gigante contacted Pathways about helping them at the beginning of December.

"I was happy when 2nd Lt. Gigante contacted us about this program," said Yanet Darden, Pathways family specialist. "The base normally helps us out each year with bringing presents, but we have never seen this amount of presents before."

The pathways branch in Del Rio houses 12 children ranging from toddlers to late teenagers. They also help support multiple children who are currently with foster families around the area.

After spreading word to the Student Squadron, Gigante was able to get enough volunteers to help support 37 children. Each person that volunteered was given the name of a child and a child's wish list of that child.

"I was able to receive about $1,500 worth of gifts so that the children can enjoy the holiday season like everyone else," said Gigante. "This program not only gives the people who donated the satisfaction of bringing cheer to others but it also brings a smile to the children's faces."