Tracy Stocks wears several hats, serving as a mother, a wife and co-owner of her own mortgage company.
Come Christmastime, she wears another, when she becomes Faulkner County's own Santa Claus.
The idea originated in 2001, when Stocks was on the Leadership Institute and worked on a grant for the Conway Police Department. In talking to the policemen, she learned that several local children had shoes that were falling apart. "I don't comprehend this," she said, referring to the poverty the children faced. "That's kind of where it started. I just started begging everyone for everything."
She learned of someone who does a similar program in Amarillo, Texas, and she decided to recreate the program here.
"It's merely a matter of trying to help the self-esteem and the confidence of kids," she said. "If you can do that, maybe you can keep them out of trouble. Maybe their grades will be better."
Project director Jessica Fallen plays the role of Santa's helper.
"We've had 800 children served in the last two years," she said, adding that since the beginning, a total of 1,875 children received gifts from the organization.
Because playing Santa to so many kids requires funding, the group plans to host a charity poker tournament at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Friday.
"A lot of people say, 'I don't like the idea of a poker tournament to raise money for kids,'" she said. "That's a good, quick easy fundraiser. This is something that there's not a lot that goes into it. It's great people that come and play."
For the $65 ticket, poker players also get food catered from Mike's Place, Michelangelo's or The Waffle House, as well as drinks.
"For $65 you're eating, you're drinking and you're entertained all night long," Fallen said.
The tournament will begin around 5 p.m., and normally lasts until midnight or 1 a.m, she added.
The fundraiser really helps the organization, she said. "It brings in anywhere from $2,500 to $4,000. It just depends on what kind of people are there and what kind of mood they're in," she said.
This is the third year for the poker tournament, Stocks said.
She believes her event is something playful and lighthearted, open both to poker fanatics and those just looking to have a good time.
"Half the people that show up, they're pretty serious and for them we're practice," she said, adding that people come from as far as Jonesboro or Arkadelphia. "This is good practice for them to go to Tunica and play in tournaments. And then the other half are people from Faulkner County who just like to play for fun."
She said that people are also welcome just to come and eat, for a $20 ticket.
"Chili, hamburgers, chips and salsa. What else can you do for $20? And it's going for an excellent cause," she said.
She added that $50 rebuys and add-on chips will be available, but stressed all attendees must be 21 to enter. The first deal will be at 6 p.m.
Spreading goodwill
Stocks and Fallen said that while this group is its own second job, they appreciate the good they are doing.
They believe the goodwill is beginning to spread. To prove this, Stocks pointed out teenager Tiffany Stinnett, who donated all her birthday presents to the organization.
"A 14-year-old girl had a birthday party at Centennial Valley and told her friends to bring toys to donate to Make a Child Smile instead of presents for her," Stocks said.
Tiffany's mother, Krissie Stinnett, said her daughter intends to continue to help. "She's going to start going to help volunteer with Ms. Stocks and she's going to help separate gifts at Christmastime," she said.
"The great thing is her friend is having a birthday part on the first of November and he's doing the same thing," she said. "It's a ripple effect. Kids thought it was such a wonderful idea that they're going to start doing it for their birthdays."
Fallen believes others will continue to help the group.
"I think a lot of people like Make a Child Smile because if you owned a business in Conway and you're paying taxes in Conway, you want your money to stay in Conway," Fallen said. "You want your money to stay in the community. Everything that we do will stay in this community. I think that a lot of people appreciate that."
Several businesses have contributed private donations and drives for the non-profit group, such as a toy drive at Dollar General and a blanket drive by The Log Cabin Democrat.
"Blankets are important in our boxes because what if kids are going to sleep cold," she said.
Most-wanted donations include blankets, socks, basketballs, hoodies and personal CD players, Fallen said. They prefer new toys and presents, but will accept gently-used blankets and coats. Boxes include a variety of items, from clothing to school supplies to actual items a child might want, such as a Transformer or Hannah Montana CD.
Fallen said they already began plans for this coming holiday. "We try to be done by Thanksgiving. That's why we so desperately need volunteers," she said.
While they aim to get all the boxes picked up by Dec. 6, Stocks said they sometimes are busy until Christmas arrives.
Fallen said they try and save extra gifts for the next year, but finds it hard to look at the donations just sitting there. "We try to dispense everything we have because it hurts you to know that someone's going without and you've got a storage unit with stuff still in it," she said. "Our cut-off date is Oct. 24 but we'll take kids until Christmas. It's just the reality of it."
Anyone wanting to volunteer or contribute donations can call Stocks at 501-932-0555. Tickets for the poker tournament can be purchased in advance from Stocks or at the door. For more information, visit the Web site at www.makeachildsmile.net.
(Staff writer Jerrica Ryan can be reached by e-mail at jerrica.ryan@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1266. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit.)
