Leechburg kids spread Christmas joy with surprise gifts for Lee Haven Towers residents

A cover of “Last Christmas” was blaring from an apartment with its door wide open when Madison Chiusano, 6, and Olivia Chiusano, 3, walked up to it with a red stocking.

“We have a gift for you,” Madison cheered as a man walked out donning an elf hat and red shirt emblazoned with a picture of Santa Claus and the word “Believe.”

Kevin Tassos smiled big as he said, “I know Santa is coming to see you because I am one of his helpers!”

Tassos jiggled the mini bells wrapped around his neck as he introduced himself as “Mister Jingles.”

Tassos is one of the residents at Lee Haven Towers who was surprised Wednesday with the stuffed stockings for Christmas.

Leechburg resident Denise Griffith walked with her mother, Susan Underwood, and her three children, Madison, Olivia and Matteo Chiusano to gift stockings to 11 residents. Their friend Marysue Milliman helped push a cart labeled “Santa’s Rack” that was full of the stockings.

Griffith wanted to find a way for her kids to bring holiday cheer to others. She chose Lee Haven Towers after what she learned about residents’ circumstances for the season.

“Lots of residents don’t have families or their families are long distance,” she said.

Resident Sue Robinson smiled and hugged her stocking as the girls told her “Merry Christmas.”

“It was just wonderful to see them at the door,” Robinson said.

This was the first year the kids did something for Christmas. Madison suggested the trio gift stockings. Griffith said the workers at a pharmacy near their house helped donate items for the stockings.

The stockings were filled with playing cards, word searches, candy, hand sanitizer, homemade ornaments and more.

Pamela Garner, another resident, said she was impressed when she was surprised with a stocking.

“This makes me so happy. I am probably going to cry,” she said.

The surprise was one of the many ways the children have spread kindness around town.

Griffith said she thought of how her kids could do community involvement initiatives since they are home schooled. The idea “The Kindness Kids” was born after Valentine’s Day in 2019, when Madison learned that not everyone receives Valentines for the loving day.

“She asked, ‘Why not? Everyone deserves love.’ From there we progressed,” Griffith said.

The kids have spread kindness several times throughout the year. They gave eggs full of toys on Easter. On 9/11, the kids gave plates of cookies to police officers and firefighters around town. Colors of Kindness crayons were given out for Leechburg’s annual Pink Day.

The kids plan to do something special for St. Patrick’s Day by making colorful rocks with words of kindness on them, Griffith said.

Madison looks forward to people’s reactions to the kids’ acts of kindness.

“I love when people smile,” Madison said.