GFWC Brandon Junior Woman's Club Aims To Leave No Child Behind

Dania Quinones’ eyes welled up with tears when asked to give her assessment of the annual children’s holiday party hosted by the GFWC Brandon Junior Woman’s Club.

“Oh my gosh, these kids, I don’t know how to explain it,” said Quinones, a guidance counselor at in Brandon. “It’s magical. It’s everything they wanted. Each time they opened a gift they’d say, ‘That’s what I wanted. How did they know?’ ”

“They” knew because the members of one of Brandon’s longest-established service clubs worked with guidance counselors at area schools to determine which kids needed an extra measure of support and joy this holiday season.

Times tough at home, these kids might otherwise go without gifts to unwrap for the holidays at their families tackle the economic realities of the day.

The woman’s club’s intent is to leave no child behind this holiday season of merriment.

“This is Brandon women helping Brandon children,” said club member Amy Carey Lee.

“This is bigger than they would have had at home,” Quinones said, about the Christmas party hosted by the club at The Regent in the Greater Brandon community of Riverview.

The bigger the better for club members who spent the better part of a year preparing for the annual event, buying gifts, arranging for donations of food and inviting Santa and Mrs. Claus to oversee the festivities.

“I love being around little kids and seeing the smiles on their faces,” said Santa Claus, who bears a striking resemblance to Dave Dorsey. “Each one of them has their own personality. The boys usually want to stand by me and the girls want to sit on your lap. But once they get warmed up they all want to sit on your lap. They come up to me and kiss me and hug me and tell me they love me.”

By his side was Mrs. Claus, who bears a striking resemblance to Dorsey’s wife, Freda.

“He’s been doing this for about 15 years and I’ve been doing it for about 12,” Freda Dorsey said about the Mr. And Mrs. Claus gig. “His daughter used to be in the club and I just love to see the children. From the minute they walk in they’re so happy.”

Lee said club members each year ask school guidance counselors to identify children who would be in need of Christmas cheer and gifts, given that their families’ at home might be struggling economically to provide for their own tidings of joy through holiday gifts.

Club members raise money at fundraisers throughout the year to purchase for each child an outfit, shoes, socks and underwear. Also acquired for each child are three toys, based on a wish list submitted by that child at school.

The club this year partnered with employees from Macy’s and NAPA Auto Parts to purchase those gifts and food was provided by Hungry Howie’s (pizza), Subway (sandwiches), Beef O’Brady’s in Valrico (wings) and Golden Corral (desserts).

“It brings us such joy to help people, to see the children with smiles on their faces,” Lee said. “Some of the kids don’t unwrap all of their gifts here, they save them, because they may not have gifts to open on Christmas day.”