Christmas program helps reduce holiday stress for grandmom helping raise 3 grandsons
Brenda Struble credits her western New York upbringing for her love of Christmas.
“Every time one of us kids were born, (our parents) planted a Colorado Blue Spruce,” said Struble, 57. “We had seven big Blue Spruces and dad always put blue lights on them. We always had more than we needed when we were kids, but we just didn’t realize it.”
The Charlotte woman has carried on the traditions of her childhood with her children and grandchildren. On Christmas Eve, they make sugar cookies, put out their stockings and leave a plate of cookies for Santa. They also eat dinner, read “The Night Before Christmas” and open presents.
Struble’s three grandchildren call her “Memaw” and live with her: Ayden Valles, 11; Landon Pate, 8, and Liam Barragan, 2 1/2. Struble’s son’s girlfriend is mom to the three grandsons and lives with them too.
To help the kids for Christmas, Struble applied for the boys to be participants in the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s angel tree program again. They received toys and clothes through the program last year as well.
This year, 8,092 children were registered to receive toys and clothes through the angel tree program, which matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy the gifts.
Some 1,737 senior citizens also received gifts this Christmas. And 812 gift cards will be distributed to agencies serving foster children and children and adults with disabilities.
In cases where donors don’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers cover the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund. Money raised by last year’s Empty Stocking Fund allowed the Salvation Army to purchase more than 6,000 toys, 3,500 food gift cards for families and 1,800 gift cards for seniors, individuals with disabilities and foster children.
“(The program) takes the stress off of figuring out how and where you’re going to get Christmas for the kids,” Struble said. “It’s a God-send.
“Last year, the kids all got coats, boots. Two got bicycles and a lot of books. They love to read,” she added.
Taking care of family
In 2019, Struble’s son and girlfriend had trouble paying the rent at their mobile home in Union County.
They moved into Struble’s house by the Charlotte airport. Struble’s son stays at a friend’s home because there isn’t enough room in the one-bedroom, 900-square-foot home. As it is, the living room is wall-to-wall mattresses and armoires, Struble said. But she takes it in stride.
“We make do,” she said. “A lot of love in one house.”
Over the past 30 years, Struble has struggled with health issues. She’s had multiple surgeries and cancer twice. She suffers from arthritis and chronic migraines.
Struble married Junior Alexander Benitez Chavez in 2013. She said Chavez is from Honduras and is undocumented. He traveled to Honduras in 2016 to see his mother before she died, but complications related to his immigration status have prevented him from returning to the United States so far.
Chavez and Struble keep in touch every day on What’s App. She’s hopeful he will come home in the new year. “He’s been gone four years,” Struble said. “I’ve been alone.”
When Chavez was in Charlotte, he worked in construction and used his skills to renovate their house. He put on a new roof and added a fence to the couple’s 1929 house, but it still needs a lot of attention. Recently, Struble fell through the porch. She’s applied for help with the repairs through local organizations.
“Once my husband is back, everything will be back to normal,” she said. “With him here, he takes care of me.”
For now, Struble is grateful for the angel tree program that will ensure her grandchildren will have a nice holiday.
“The (program) makes it possible for the kids to have a good Christmas and enjoy getting gifts, so they don’t have to feel like they are poor or something is wrong with them,” she said. “We can have a nice Christmas thanks to the wonderful people at angel tree.”
How to donate
To donate online: EmptyStockingFundCLT.org.
To donate by mail, send checks to: The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, P.O. Box 31128, Charlotte, NC 28231. Make checks payable to The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte and write “Empty Stocking Fund” in the memo line.
Questions concerning your donation? Call 704-716-2769.
We’ll publish all donors’ names.