Local Motorcycle Club Spreads Christmas Cheer
ALBANY -- John Dillon, as Santa, reaches out to each resident at St. Margaret's Center in Albany.
"It's tough. Brings a tear to your eye. You might have seen a tear on many eyes today," said Dillon.
St. Margaret's is a long-term care nursing facility for children and adults, and this is an annual tradition for the Albany chapter of the Renegade Pigs, a law enforcement motorcycle club.
"I like to think that everybody that came here left appreciating life a whole lot more than they did when they got here," said club member Joe DeSeve. "Seeing the smile on the residents here, on the children's faces. They may not be able to express how they feel but you know that they're all excited and they're happy."
"A lot of our chapters do charity events and do things for the community, but one of the things that make this event special is the opportunity to get up close and personal. When you see the smiles on some of the kids faces, it really makes the whole thing worthwhile," said Renegade Pigs National President Richard Salim.
This year, the group got help from students from Columbia High School in East Greenbush.
"Because they're without and we have the ability to help them, I just think we should," said high school senior Conor O'Brien.
"I like helping out and when it comes to kids that need help, I'm there," added senior Micah Khan.
They gave out gifts to children and adults, and shared the holiday spirit.
"The staff truly enjoy having the visitors come in," said Marygrace Pietrocola of St. Margaret's. "It just brightens up the place. It makes them feel like hey, we're doing something really special here and we're being recognized by people from the community."
"If you can take one of these little kids who hasn't seen Santa Claus in a year and smile as you folks have recorded, it makes the day. It makes a Merry Christmas," said Dillon. (You see them light up when they see you?) "They do. They do, and that's their gift to us."
