City of Knoxville employees are a generous bunch. 

Melanie Overall sees this generosity first hand as organizer of the Parks and Recreation Department’s Secret Santa program.

For the 19th year, carefully selected children from Parks and Rec’s After School Program will be treated to an afternoon of activities, treats and presents from Santa (a.k.a. City employee sponsors who donate the clothes and gifts).

Recreation Center directors and staff members identify afterschool kids who would benefit most from the Secret Santa program. 
 
Each sponsor (which can be a single employee, a group or an entire department) contributes a pair of shoes, a shirt, a pair of pants and two toys for each child. In advance, they get a list with age, gender, clothing and shoe sizes, color preferences, favorite sports teams and any specific requests. Kids' requests for toys haven't changed much, says Overall. Electronic games, sporting equipment and bikes remain popular. 

“Secret Santa is a wonderful way to provide their needs and wishes this holiday season,” Overall says. 

In 2020, the program served 43 children, which was slightly fewer kids than participate in “normal” years. That number averages around 50, Overall says. 

This year, Parks and Rec staff selected 62 children to participate--the most in Overall’s five years as organizer. 

City employees have stepped up to respond to the extra need. 

Tatia Harris has participated in the Secret Santa program for the eight years she's been with the City. 

"I enjoy giving back!" she says. "I was fortunate to have wonderful Christmases as a child, and I believe every child deserves some magic and joy during the holidays."

Harris refers to studies indicating that young people can benefit from having just one person encourage and motivate them. 

"I hope that in my small way the love that child feels in receiving one or two of their wishes has a long-term and lasting effect on what kind of person that child becomes," she says. "I encourage everyone to participate, you can even partner with a co-worker or department, you will definitely get more out of it then what you put in!"

Parks and Rec’s Jerry Dills concurs. He says the magic of the experience happens on the kids’ faces when they open their gifts. Dills played the role of Santa for several years, with assistance from elves Nikki Crutcher and Denise Jones. 

“It was as good for us as it was for them,” he says. 

Overall says that parents frequently cry when they come to pick up their kids and see their excitement and smiles. 

If you have signed up as a sponsor, the last day to turn in your Secret Santa gifts at Parks & Rec's administrative offices at Lakeshore is Monday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m.

In the next two weeks, volunteers from Parks and Rec and other departments will wrap and label all the donated gifts in anticipation of the event that will be held next week at the Public Works Service Center. 

Thanks to all the City employees who contribute to this annual tradition and help make the holidays brighter for these kids in our community.