Stocking Shop Celebrates 10th Year

Written by Danna Sue Walker | Download Original Article

A unique woodcarved stocking is taking center stage in the festivities surrounding the 10th anniversary of the Salvation Army's Stocking Shop.

Oklahoma City woodcarver Jim Cain cheated the 10-inch stocking to com¬memorate the anniversary and filled it with removeable toys such as a ball, a bat, a teddy bear, a candy cane and a Raggedy Ann doll.

The stocking will serve as an award in recognition of the ongoing support of the project from KJRH Channel 2 and the Tulsa Promenade Mall, both 10-year sponsors. Channel 2 news anchors Jerry Webber and Karen Keith will receive the stocking during opening cer¬emonies for the Stocking Shop at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tulsa Promenade.

Radio station KRMG AM740, a new sponsor this year, will be represented at the kickoff by morning show host John Erhling. Since it began a decade ago, the Stocking Shop has filled stockings with more than 200,000 gifts for needy chil¬dren in this area. Every year, holiday shoppers select an 18-inch bright red stocking and fill it with gifts for select¬ed recipients detailed in the mall dis¬play. They are given suggestions for gifts for children and golden-agers of specific age and sex. From there, they are limited only by their imaginations. Stockings have been returned with so many gifts that the stocking itself was tied to the bundle of gaily wrapped packages. One year a shopper even pur¬chased a new bike and tied the stocking to the handle bar.

One man made the Christmas dreams of his youth come true for another child. When he returned his stocking to the shop, it was tied to a $150 electric train - the same type of train he always had hoped for as a child, but that his parents had been unable to afford.

A cross section of people take part in this project - from scout groups to fire-men, civic groups, corporate organiza¬tions and individuals.

Several years ago, a woman began a tradition to teach her two young daugh¬ters the joy of sharing. As they shopped together throughout the year, they would buy gifts for the needy that were used to fill as many stockings as possi¬ble. When the family was transferred to Dallas, it contacted the Salvation Army there to continue the tradition.

Grandparents often select stockings for children the same age as their grandchildren, and single adults some¬times select stockings in memory of deceased parents.

Members of various corporate and civic groups opt to select stockings to provide gifts for others rather than exchange presents among themselves. Kappa Kappa Iota sorority, Southwest¬ern Bell Telephone Operators, and many other groups and church associations participate in this way.