Telegraph readers take Reindeer Gang families to heart

Myrtice Davis' nieces and nephews have new clothes and toys, and Dorothy Gastin's home has a new roof.

Once again, Telegraph readers responded generously to The Reindeer Gang, the newspaper's annual series of stories about people who could use a helping hand during the holidays.

Davis, 60, is helping raise her brother's four young children, ages 6 to 9, after their mother landed in jail, charged with running over and killing her boyfriend.

Davis sought tutoring for the children, as well as clothes, shoes and coats for them. She hoped for a clothes dryer and a table with chairs for their home.

Readers embraced the family's plight and provided "an overwhelming response," said their sponsor, Tunga Crudup with the Campus Clubs ministry. They donated a dinette set, a dining room set, a washer and dryer, and gift cards.

All the children will get free tutoring from a Houston County educator, and readers provided bags of clothes, shoes and toys.

The girls are even getting free dance lessons.

"Every time (Davis) comes by my office, she says 'I just had to come by and give you a hug. I want to thank you so much,'" Crudup said. "She was very, very happy and overwhelmed with the response that people had to her story. ... I'm getting emotional just thinking about it."

One family is set to deliver items for the family on Christmas Eve, and another has scheduled a Christmas morning drop-by.

"Several families that donated are interested in keeping in touch with the family so that if a need comes up, they will be able to help," Crudup said in an email. "They will also help with birthday gifts for the children. Praise the Lord!"

WOMAN GETS NEW ROOF

Gastin, 70, has no running water, and her roof leaked badly. Jeffrey Butler, owner of Butler's Home Improvement & Roofing, put on a new roof in three days.

Debra Rollins, executive director of Rebuilding Macon, said she aims to get plumbing repairs made to Gastin's home -- and her water turned on -- by New Year's Day, now that Gastin is back home from a short hospital stay.

Also, the outside of the house will get a new coat of paint the week of Jan. 11. Rollins is also trying to add some new touches to Gastin's kitchen.

"We were amazed at how kind people were," Rollins said. "The response has been fabulous."

Some contributors came by the Rebuilding Macon office just to offer up a $10 bill to help.

WAITRESS WITH CHILDREN GIVEN USED CAR

Waitress Dominique Jackson's broken-down car has made her family's life difficult for a while. One reader, though, donated a used Plymouth Voyager with about 97,000 miles on it, and Jackson and her children are ecstatic.

"I've been driving it for the past couple of days," the 30-year-old said. "They love it. They were so happy and excited. It's a blessing."

Readers also chipped in more than $1,000 to help the family, said Angeline Doh, Jackson's sponsor with Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia.

MOTHER, TWO CHILDREN ABLE TO MOVE TO APARTMENT

The apartment where Debra Hughes, 36, and her two children, ages 13 and 16, were staying was run down, and someone recently broke in to it.

With readers' help, the family will be moving into an apartment on Millerfield Road by next month, said June O'Neal, director of the Mentors Project of Bibb County. Rusty and Marzel Poss, who help mentor one of Hughes' children, were particularly helpful, O'Neal said.

"People have gotten the children Christmas gifts. They have been extremely generous and gracious, and we thank every one of them," she said.

Readers also provided about $700 to help pay off an overdue power bill, and the Northeast High School Class of 1998 also contributed $500 toward that effort.

READERS DONATE MONEY, FOOD

Melanie Haslinger, 36, has been attending Miller-Motte Technical College while looking for a job and trying to find reliable transportation to get to class and help provide for her daughter.

She starts work next week at McDonald's, and readers have contributed about $900 that will help pay for a used car, said Dawn Burns, Haslinger's sponsor at the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia.

Readers have also donated food boxes, toiletries and other day-day-day necessities.

"We have a couple of people who are trying to get her a good deal on a vehicle," Burns said. "She is very happy. We thank everyone so much for their support. It's been very nice of the community to show their love and support of her."

FAMILY OFFERED RENTAL HOUSE, FURNITURE

Keyonna and Larry Little's rental home caught fire while she was at work, and they and their five children have been looking for another place to live. They hoped to find furniture -- including beds, dressers and chairs -- that would help them begin anew somewhere else.

Readers responded to their plight in droves, said Mark Jones, the family's Loaves & Fishes case manager.

"We must have gotten 30 to 40 calls," he said. "It's been such an outpouring from all directions. I was blown away."

One reader has offered the family a discounted house rental, and donations of furniture and cash have also come in.

Someone even donated a 10-year-old minivan to the family.

"They were crying, very tearful," Jones said of the family's reaction. "They were filled with gratitude. It was a picture-perfect kind of story. ... It's just been incredible."

He had this message for Telegraph readers who pitched in: "Thank you for making this happen. It's a tremendous blessing. We can't express our gratitude enough."

Contact writer Oby Brown at 744-4396 and find him on Twitter@obybrownGA.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Telegraph readers take Reindeer Gang families to heart ."