KEARNEY, Neb. — Legend has it, this all started in the 1940's when newspaperman Ormond Hill asked some coffee friends to pass the hat and buy Christmas gifts for those in need.

“Oh, he’d be amazed,” Goodfellows board member Melissa Henning said. “The process of the Goodfellows has evolved over the years, just like anything else. To get 1200 gifts out to kids in Buffalo County takes quite a bit of work and we have a great team and a lot of great volunteers.”

Chipping in has almost become second nature for some. Mark Berke has been doing it for so long, he can’t recall the number of years exactly.

“We have the heart to give. It’s one of the things that we can do,” Berke said. “Our grandchildren are too far away, so we don’t get to enjoy it with them, so it’s great to see how this community has come together and being able to support the people who can’t have gifts for their young ones.”

The evolution of Goodfellows, from a hat passing, to this is quite a difference in growth.

“It’s amazing every year. We get more and more volunteers, not even volunteers, but more gifts that come in to give to the kids and make Christmas a little better for those kids.”

Collecting all the donated gifts and wrapping them up for the children is a collective effort. And the job isn’t done here.

“Come again on Christmas morning and see how many people show up.”

“When we deliver on Christmas morning and we knock on the door and you see those smiles ear to ear, it’s worth it.”

“Hopefully you get to see the kids and the smiles and the enjoyment that they have from being able to get a present that they might not have had a chance to get before.”

Being able to know a little kid still has hope on Christmas morning of getting a gift means a lot to these volunteers. Some more than others, because a few folks are now on the side of giving.

“People today that are helping volunteer or donate gifts that received gifts as young kids when they were growing up. So they’re giving back too, because they saw the importance.”