WYNCOTE, Pa. – Volunteers, family members, a national chain and friends in Wyncote provided a dose of holiday cheer surprising eight siblings with a holiday shopping spree. It’s the first Christmas since their mom recently passed away and they didn’t want the kids to go without during the holidays.

Dressed in the most festive Santa-styled clothing she could find, family friend, Nikki Bagby greeted the children of her friend, April Burch.

“April Burch was a friend, a community activist and she lost her life at 40. I loved April and it will be their first Christmas without her,” Bagby explained. “I want to try to make it something special.”

As an organizer of an annual holiday giving campaign, Nikki reached out to the retailer, Snipes, and when they heard about April’s untimely illness and death, the chain selected April’s family to receive a Christmas shopping spree at their Wyncote location.

“What we’re doing for this family today falls under our community initiative, Dream Maker, during the holiday season, trying to make special moments happen,” Community Impact Manager of Snipes, Taylor Rodriguez said.

April’s children are living apart now, with other family members and their fathers. The past month has been hard on everyone and the holiday shopping spree turned out to be a very nice surprise, as each child was given a $250 gift card.

April’s sister, Tameeka Montgomery, said, “Feel special and be happy to get some new stuff and not to be sad lifting the weight and taking your mind off of it.”

“I’ll just be happy and try to make some memories with my grandma and still think about my mom,” April’s son, Aaron, said.

Aaron’s grandmom, Mildred Lucas, is also grieving her daughter and trying to make sure her grandchildren get through the holiday.

“The same love I poured into her, she poured into her children and then that’s the same love that I’m going to give her children,” Mildred said.