A small handful of volunteers and lots of generous people have teamed up to make a difference for children in Western Branch at Christmas the past few years.

Stuffed animals, tricycles, playsets, Big Wheels, toy tractors, dolls, toy cars and more lined the pews last year during the Secret Santa giveaway, which has become a hallmark of the Western Branch Philanthropy group.

Karen Pinegar spearheads the group’s efforts and said she spends many extra hours on the Secret Santa every year. But the only thing she regrets about it is that she can’t be present when all of the children receive their gifts.

“I do sometimes wish I could be a fly on the wall and see the children’s reaction,” she said. “But I know in my heart that when Christmas morning comes, there are a lot of kids that have been blessed.”

This is the third year for the Secret Santa effort, and Pinegar said it grows every year as more people find out about it. This year, almost 200 children will be helped by about 150 Secret Santas from throughout the community.

“I think people are more generous this time of year,” Pinegar said. “Most of us, when it comes to children, have a lot more compassion, and it’s people being good people and wanting to help. Sometimes people are down and out for reasons that are beyond their control, and any of us could be there.”

People in need contact Pinegar through the Western Branch Philanthropy Facebook group.

“I vet the circumstances, and if they are someone we feel we should sponsor, we get the parent to give us information as far as the child’s gender, age and their wish list, clothing sizes and what have you,” Pinegar said. “Then I find a Secret Santa.”

Pinegar said she’s never had a problem finding Secret Santas.

“We have a very caring community,” she said. “I’m very proud of Western Branch and the way people come out of the woodwork. I don’t think I’ve ever posted a need that wasn’t taken care of.”

The gift exchange happens just before Christmas at a predetermined location. Parents come and pick up the wrapped gifts, and Pinegar said the “from” part of the tag is left unlabeled so that parents can handle that as they wish.

“It’s all about blessing; it’s not about who gave,” Pinegar said.

The Secret Santa effort is far from the only thing that Western Branch Philanthropy does. The group does Easter baskets and helps with necessary utility bills and other needs for people who find themselves in need of help.

“We don’t want to be an enabling group; we want to be a hand-up group,” Pinegar said. “If we find this is a perpetual problem from month to month, we help them to find some counseling to get out of the position they’re in.”

Pinegar, with the help of a couple of volunteers, vets the needs herself, pays bills directly and posts receipts on the Facebook page so that people know the need is taken care of.

“I always want to be above reproach,” Pinegar said. “I know I’m honest, but I want everybody else to know it, too. I want to be as transparent as possible.”

Pinegar’s next goal for the philanthropy group is to create a 501(c)3 nonprofit so that those who donate will be able to get tax deductions.

In all, she feels good about the group’s contributions toward Christmas joy for local children.

“I’m a Christian, and I believe we’re supposed to help each other,” she said. “It’s just my passion. I know toys are just things, but to be able to have these kids feel good about themselves is more than I have words for.”