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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The American Legion Post 216 and Auxiliary Unit 216 came together for a special Christmas surprise on Dec. 7.

Two families who were facing challenges this season were showered with gifts, love and support.

Members came together to donate funds and purchased presents for the Turner and Davidson children without ruining the surprise.

A presentation was also made to Jerry Roseberry for a needed project.

“His wife has been in the hospital for an extended period,” Post Commander Steve McAnally said. “She has leukemia and they are in desperate need of a porch and a wheelchair ramp for their house.”

Post members will also be donating time to the completion of the project.

During the event, the good news kept coming as one of the father’s announced he had started a new job.

“We take care of our own,” McAnally said.

Roseberry was also able to share the good news that his wife had come home from the hospital.

Auxiliary Unit leader Deborah Akers and McAnally said the group had initially talked about doing a gift exchange game at the December meeting, but wanted to do something special when they saw there was a need.

“We wanted to get the (Post and Auxiliary) family together,” Akers said.

She said they started thinking it would be more meaningful to give gifts to the children, then the adults exchanging presents.

Akers said they wanted to make it an extra special time for them and show that the Post and Auxiliary family was there for them.

Presents from the American Legion members were opened with excitement.

Each family also received gift carts, so the parents would definitely be able to have something under the tree on Christmas day.