SEK correctional center continues giving tradition

Ten local families will be able to have a brighter Christmas this year due to the efforts of the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center staff.

For the third consecutive year, the correctional center staff was able to reach out to area families who are struggling to get through the holidays. However, this is the first year, the staff has been able to assist such a large number of people by donating gifts to some and helping others with various financial obligations.

According to SEKRCC Director of Programs Jimmy Nichols, the first year the correctional center donated at Christmas time, there was only enough money to help one family. Since then, the correctional center staff has worked diligently to raise enough funds so that more families can benefit. Nichols said he would like to see the correctional center's adopt-a-family program grow a little larger each year.

In August, the correctional center staff conducted a boxing event which helped to raise most of the $2,000 they spent on Christmas gifts for area families this year. The other portion of the funds was donated by employees who work in the Bourbon County Courthouse, Nichols said. The children who were adopted by the staff were given a variety of gifts, including clothes, toys and necessities, according to Nichols.

A special Christmas party was conducted on Saturday at the court house so that Santa Claus could distribute the gifts to the children. Geni Hermeck, 5 years old, was excited about the gifts Santa gave her, according to correctional center staff member Brad Rich.

"She kept saying, 'He knew. How did Santa know what I wanted,'" Rich said.

Having entered the party after Santa had already left, Rich said he was pretending to be a little upset about not getting to see Santa. A little boy at the party reached over, patted Rich on the back and said, "It's okay, he'll be back next year."

Nichols said the only regret he has about adopting the ten families is the fact that there are not enough funds to help more families than the ones he was able to help.

"It would be great if we could adopt every needy family, but we can't," Nichols said. "There's always that part of you that wants to do more."

According to Nichols, adopting the families at Christmas time would not have been possible without the dedication of the staff at the correctional center.

"I can come up with ideas," Nichols said, "but without the staff, it wouldn't go anywhere ... I want the public to know how lucky they are to have people on the county payroll as committed to helping as these guys are."

When asked what he thought about the ten families the correctional center had been able to help, Rich said, "It's great. When he (Nichols) asked us to start doing it (adopting families), how could we say no? Why wouldn't we want to help someone?"

Another contributing factor to the Christmas program's success is the support the correctional center staff receives from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Department, according to Nichols.

"I want the public to know how lucky we are to have an ex-sheriff and a new sheriff that allows us to get involved with the public," Nichols said. "After all, that's what we are -- we're public servants."

According to Nichols, he has already begun planning next year's adopt-a-family event. The correctional staff is expected to once again conduct the boxing event in order to raise the needed funds for next year's holiday season.

"As long as we can, we will make it (adopt-a-family) bigger and better every year," Nichols said.