Santa, fire department deliver gifts to Charvat family after death of Dylon in November
By FLETCHER HALFAKER, Star-Herald
Click here for updates on this story
FLETCHER HALFAKER Star-Herald (Star-Herald) — One local family received a very special visit from Santa Claus and the Scottsbluff Fire Department on Friday, Dec. 16.
Lexi Charvat and her sons, six-year-old Waylon and 10-year-old Bentley, saw Saint Nick a bit earlier than most when the fire department and Santa dropped off several bags of gifts donated by countless community members on Friday afternoon.
The visit was orchestrated by Susan Whitaker in an effort to ensure the family a loving and merry Christmas following the death of husband and father Dylon Charvat in an accident at Western Sugar in November.
“As soon as I heard about what happened, I knew I had to do something,” said Whitaker. “I decided to get started and put together a flier that I could post places and send out on Facebook, and I got a really nice response from the community.”
Individuals, businesses, and organizations from across the area came together with donations of gift cards, cash, and toys to provide feelings of safety and joy during the holiday season. With help from a family member, Whitaker was able to provide a list of things the boys would really enjoy: Nerf guns, Pokémon, clothes, games, and more.
“I met Santa at the fire station, and one of the trucks had just gotten back from a call, so we loaded the gifts up into the fire truck,” she said.
The procession came down the family’s street with lights and sirens, taking the boys completely by surprise. They emerged from the house to meet Santa while the firefighters carried the four bulging bags of gifts inside.
“The boys spent at least half an hour on the fire truck with the firemen asking all kinds of questions,” said Whitaker. “Our fire guys were so fantastic. They spent so much time with those boys answering all of their questions and showing them everything they could and encouraging them to come and visit any time down at the fire station.”
Whitaker reported that after visiting with the firefighters, 10-year-old Bentley was very interested in joining their ranks when he grows up.
The outpouring of gifts from the community was very impactful for the Charvat family, especially since they moved to the Scottsbluff area less than two years ago.
“Lexi was so impressed by our community,” said Whitaker. “The love and support that she has felt from people in the community… she is just speechless. She has really grown to love our community and the people in it.”
The boys’ enjoyment of their holiday gifts is ongoing throughout the season, as mom Lexi reports that they’ve been opening one gift per day, allowing them to provide lasting joy and excitement.
Whitaker even got to make a second delivery of gifts donated by the Torrington sugar factory on Monday morning. She said that she was very impressed by the generosity of the community.
“Our community is just great at pulling together in a time of need,” she said.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
