Kids learn about giving at Telmosse giveaway

At the 29th Annual Bob Telmosse Christmas giveaway, Sunny and Tatum Gallegos worked some of their own Christmas magic with three words, “please” and “thank you.”

The brothers, Sunny, 7, and Tatum, 5, came to Wednesday’s giveaway to get toys and a turkey. But they also got to pick out a secret gift for their aunt, who brought them. With the magic words, their gift was wrapped with a bow and given a neat sticker.

The giveaway, with its 750 volunteers and over 800 frozen turkeys, was like nothing the boys had ever seen. But to giveaway regulars, the thousands of people, including some who got in line the night before, have been a constant for over 20 years.

Carol Reinert has worked to keep the giveaway alive after its founder, her husband Bob Telmosse, died in 2006. This was her 25th giveaway, and the largest she had ever seen.

Children have been allowed to pick out gifts for their parents and guardians for the past 10 years. After children pick up their own toys, a volunteer leads them behind a red curtain to peruse tables of gifts for adults.

Kirk Standley, the executive director of the Freedom Financial Services Expo Center, led the Gallegos boys through the hidden gift area until they picked the perfect present for their aunt, Maria Baez-Diaz.

The boys just moved to Colorado Springs from Texas, Baez-Diaz said, and their family needed a little help with Christmas this year.

Sarah Lang, 28, was in their shoes in 2004, when she was struggling to pull a Christmas holiday together for her daughter. That year she waited in line on a frigid December morning to pick out toys and a turkey.

“This helped so much and gave my child a Christmas,” Lang said.

She has returned every year as a volunteer.

“It’s a warm feeling to give back,” she said.

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