How Ak Zhaik readers made children’s wishes come true on New Year’s eve.
At the beginning of December we, the reporters of AkZhaik newspaper, visited the orphanage # 1 and told the children that it was Santa Claus who sent us and requested to find out what each child wants to get for a New Year present. Kids immediately surrounded us and wishes poured from different directions: girls asked dolls, bar pins and hair-slides from the magical granddad and boys wanted toy cars, Batman and helicopters. We promised that we will pass all their wishes personally to Santa Claus. Children smiled in return. The doubt was in their eyes, as well as little hope.
Few days later in the next newspaper issue we published those wishes next to children’s photos and invited our readers “to try on Santa’s suit” and make children’s wishes come true. And then happened something that we, now for three years, cannot get used to. To say we had a good and immediate response from our readers is putting it mildly.
It turned out that some of our readers, the extremely compassionate ones, have been waiting impatiently since November for the announcement and already bought the gifts.
Literally speaking, the editorial office in a twinkle turned into a large warehouse chockablock with children’s toys. We were snowed under with gifts. In the last days the journalists moved along the office exclusively sideways, lifting their feet high to avoid stepping or knocking over any gift.
The whole companies, groups or departments and simply townspeople were involved in the process of gifts searching. Some of them asked their relatives and friends from other cities to mail certain gifts to them.
As a result 4-year-old Sanagoul Kuanysheva, who asked for a ball dress and who was especially liked by our readers, received not just one, but several ball dresses, as well as several dolls and other gifts. 12-year-old Suleiman Fomin also received several wrestlers’ suits and a few pairs of trainers.
By the way, one of our readers who was not satisfied with the quality and choice of sneakers offered by Atyrau shops, ordered sneakers for Suleiman all the way from US. He was very worried that they will not be delivered on time. But on New Year’s Eve miracles happen and sneakers were delivered from the other continent even earlier than expected.
We packed presents for two days. Gift packages turned out to be bulky and heavy.
VISIT TO THE ORPHANAGE
… At last, all gifts are packed and ready. We loaded all these “singing-laughing-dancing-blinking goods” onto 2 Gazelles vans (there wasn’t enough room in 1 van!) and sent to the orphanage.
In the orphanage the kids were waiting for us. Cowboys, snowflakes, pirates, tigers, princesses, kings and queens and even one Sponge Bob were very excited when they saw the gifts. Kids staged a concert for us where they demonstrated their talents: dancers, singers, poem reciters. An ocean of talents!
…In the meantime we heard the long-awaited “Ho-ho-ho!” coming from the next hall. It was Santa Claus! Kids stood in a line and started to recite New Year verses to Santa Claus.
Our readers also prepared another good surprise for the kids. While children were reciting verses, a big pool with soap bubbles was brought to the stage and when kids finished, the soap bubbles show started!
Then the most intriguing moment has come – distribution of gifts.
Anya Mourygina dressed in the costume of Snowflake having learnt that she received a set of Winx dolls and cosmetics set, started to clap and exclaimed: “It’s just what I wanted! Wh-a-a-a-t! MP3-player too? Oh, …” - a small box made little girl thrill. Asylbek Khassanov, having examined the content of his package, breathed a sigh of satisfaction: “I was anxious for this stuff!” And small Anastas Naidyonov who earlier couldn’t think of a wish - received a huge pink hare.
Children were thankful for the gifts and dragged heavy packages back to their seats. Their faces shone when they unpacked the packages and the room was filled with happiness. The representatives from our readers and we all were hugging, kissing the kids, took them onto our hands and told them tender words.
Nobody was ashamed to show their feelings and children in return hugged and kissed us, these absolutely strange uncles and aunts.
We are grateful to all “Santa Clauses” and “Snow Maidens”, the true magicians, from the bottom of our hearts. We are grateful to all who run around buying presents for the kids and arranged this beautiful party for the needy children.
Happy New Year!
By Anastassiya Pastoukhova
Photos by Zhenis Toungatarov
January 3 2013, 18:17
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