Santa visits Robin’s Home
Hearing Santa Claus’ boisterous voice just outside the door, children at Robin’s Home eagerly waited to greet Father Christmas and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, Dec. 16.
Inside, the home was decorated for the holiday season: red stockings hung on the mantle, and Christmas ornaments dangled on the evergreen marking the entrance way where wrapped presents sat underneath.
Over the holidays, the transitional home for women veterans celebrates by “doing everything you do in a traditional house,” said Robin’s Home founder Mary Chitwood.
Two of the children have an Elf on the Shelf. After decorating the house yesterday with some volunteers, Chitwood said the young girls “thought the elves did it.”
“Now it’s like a whole different atmosphere,” Chitwood said. “I feel like during the holiday times you feel like there’s a sense of hope.”
Over the holidays, Chitwood said some of the challenges faced by women veterans at Robin’s Home include being away from family, finances and not having permanent housing.
“(The challenge) is financial at times,” Chitwood said. “You know, trying to provide Christmas and stuff like that for your kids while you’re here, being away from family or friends and not being in your (own) place.”
On Saturday, a surprise visit from Santa was arranged by Chapter 120 of the Women's Army Corps Veterans' Association located in Pittsburgh. Santa, accompanied by Mrs. Claus, arrived heaving a sack full of toys and gifts.
Laurie Kubli, Army veteran and public relations director of WACVA, said the organization requested wish lists for the children residing at Robin’s Home.
At the moment, five women and four children live in Robin’s Home, Chitwood said.
No other transitional living center in the area takes in unstably housed women veterans with their children, Kubli said.
“Most people, when they exit the military, that transitional period can be very challenging,” Kubli said. “There are people who get out of the military and they don’t necessarily have somewhere to go ... and it makes it hard (to cope) if you don’t have stable housing. So having stable housing like this in Butler, to me, it’s critical.”
Being around other women veterans with similar experiences is also validating, Kubli said.
After the children had spoken to Santa and begun to unwrap their gifts, Laurie presented a $500 check to Chitwood on behalf of the Women's Overseas Service League for additional Christmas gifts for children.
When asked by Santa what she would like for Christmas, veteran Myeasha Williams, who served in the Army Reserves, said, “Just to see a smile on (my daughter’s) face.”
Williams’ daughter, Norah, 4, beamed.
