Walmart, Sam's Club associates bring Santa for special visit

Santa and Mrs. Claus made a special stop at Dayton Children’s Hospital to help local Walmart and Sam’s Club associates bring smiles to the children.  The associates filled bags to the brim with toys and games, then loaded them on wagons for Santa to take room to room, delivering to each good little boy and girl. 

The associates didn’t stop there – they also delivered cookie trays to the hospital staff.  Walmart and Sam’s Club associates came from all local stores - Dayton, Centerville, Beavercreek, Xenia, Miamisburg, Huber Heights, Urbana, Piqua, Springfield, Bellefontaine, Troy and Richmond, Indiana areas.

“This means so much to our kids and families,” says Karen Muller, child life manager at Dayton Children’s.  “The look on their faces as Santa comes in with a bag bigger than them, filled with toys, is enough to make anyone cry.  But seconds later you are laughing, as a toddler yanks the hat off Santa’s head or a preschooler tugs on his beard to make sure it’s real!”  

The Walmart and Sam’s Club associates played elves every holiday season for the past 17 years, part of a 30 year tradition of giving back to the kids in their community.  Parents couldn’t be more thankful for the generosity, but also that moment of “normalcy” inside the hospital, where a kid can just be a kid.