Guess Who's Back?

Our favorite little elves have returned and are already causing all sorts of holiday shenanigans at Shelter! Evelyn and Elvis made their grand appearance last week, riding in on the “Shoe Shoe Train.” Even Barbie and Ken hopped aboard and joined them on their wild adventure. We can’t wait to see what mischief they stir up next!

Christmas at the Movies

Loving School kicked off the holiday season with a flurry of excitement—and plenty of festive sweaters—at this year’s Christmas concert. Music Therapist Kiah Gehl led the production, “Christmas at the Movies,” bringing together all of our classes for a show featuring songs from beloved holiday films.

“The theme kind of just came to me out of nowhere. It popped into my head, and I just ran with it,” Kiah explained.

She searched for classic Christmas movies and paired each age group with a song she knew they’d love to perform. Students sang numbers from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Home Alone,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

“Across the board, I think each age group was excited about their special movie song,” said Kiah.

Wanting students to feel comfortable and confident onstage, Kiah opted for a cozy dress code. Fancy holiday outfits can feel restrictive, especially during performances, so Christmas sweaters felt like the perfect mix of comfort and fun.

“First of all, who doesn't love a Christmas sweater!?” she laughed. “I liked the idea of keeping the program really casual and comfortable. It seemed like a natural solution to that conundrum. And they can wear the sweater again in the future.”

Students began rehearsing on Halloween, which sparked some playful complaints at first. But once Kiah shared the theme, and each class’s song, and their enthusiasm took over. “They were all excited for it!”

As rehearsals continued, each grade level took ownership of their piece. “It was really cool to see them take pride in having something that was their own.”

That pride shone brightly last Wednesday morning. When the audience rose for a standing ovation, Kiah didn’t look toward the crowd—she looked at her students. “I saw beaming smiles and a new light in a lot of the kids’ eyes. Seeing them be proud of themselves was my absolute favorite part. It brought tears to my eyes.”

For Kiah, the concert was about more than music and holiday cheer—it was about helping students build courage. Many shared that they felt nervous, and she encouraged them to find someone in the audience they could look to for reassurance. “That seemed to really ease a lot of their nerves.” Many children used the strategy, spotting a familiar face and offering a shy wave from the risers.

But the morning held one more magical moment—one worthy of the big screen. When the doors opened and Santa himself stepped inside, the room erupted in a scene straight out of “Elf,” with children shouting, “Santa!”

One little girl from the crowd was so overjoyed she sprinted toward him the moment she saw him. Students lined up to share their Christmas wishes, each getting a chance to talk with St. Nick and take a photo to capture the moment.

What began as “Christmas at the Movies” ended like a scene from a classic holiday film—complete with the wonder only Santa can bring. See more pictures below!

Georgetown Mall

The Sioux Falls campus is officially in the holly-jolly spirit. If last week’s Christmas concert didn’t put our kiddos in a festive mood, last Friday certainly did.

The morning began with cozy blankets, soft pillows, and a holiday movie favorite, “Klaus.”

In the afternoon, groups of kiddos made their way to the Georgetown Mall, a magical “mall” created right inside the admin building.

The Georgetown Mall gives kids a chance to experience what the holiday season is truly about: opening our hearts and showing kindness to others.

Each child is paired with an adult and strolls through the mall to choose three thoughtful gifts for the people they appreciate most. Parents, siblings, CHS staff, Big Buddies—whoever means the world to them, they get to shop for.

Before leaving the mall, every kiddo gets to pick out a sweet sugar cookie treat to enjoy—a perfect ending to a festive day.

The Grinch is known for stealing Christmas…so we shouldn’t have been surprised when he showed up at Georgetown! Luckily, these quick-thinking kiddos managed to snatch their gifts back before he caused too much mischief! Everyone else—be on the lookout! The Grinch is getting an early start this year.

Kieffer Bikes

We are so grateful for our friends at Kieffer Sanitation! Last week, they dropped off 34 bikes for our BHCH kiddos. This Santa gift is saved for each child and given to them when they discharge from CHS and continue on their healing journey. Our friends at Kieffer have been donating bikes since 2008—that’s more than 17 years.