A lot of students know their bus drivers and associates are pretty special, but what they maybe didn’t know was that many are secretly holiday elves, and the bus, an incognito sleigh.
When transportation director LaShone Mosley floated the idea of adopting families for the holidays with her staff, the answer was strong and immediate.
“Everyone was on board right away,” Mosley said, adjusting her grey wig and sliding into a Mrs. Santa dress and apron. “Our drivers and associates all know families who are struggling, especially during the holidays.”
A team of transportation elves selected three families who had experienced particularly difficult hardship recently and asked what they wanted most for the holidays. The answers ranged from food, to gifts for children, and one family asked for a real evergreen tree. They were able to do it all.
“The staff took up a collection and we raised nearly $500 to make the purchases,” she said. “And now look at us!”
The transportation elves wrapped the gifts and carried bags and boxes of food and gifts, and one real tree, to Santa, who waited in his big, yellow DMPS sleigh.
“I guess that makes me Rudolph!” said driver Sharon Bell.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus settled into the rolling sleigh surrounded by volunteer elves disguised as transportation employees, smiling, thinking about the evening of deliveries ahead.
“I’m just so proud of everyone on our team for reaching out to others with love,” Mosley said. “We’re going to make a lot of children happy tonight.”
And so they did.
