'Not just a decent meal, but a great meal': Student Santas feast set for Christmas Day

Jennifer Icaza-Gast — founder of local holiday charity Student Santas — has spearheaded the student-focused Christmas Day gift-giving event for 14 years. But for the last four years, the organization has evolved into also offering a banquet for families in need.

Student Santas began when Icaza-Gast said she was overcome with sadness one Christmas morning while watching her children open their gifts with all smiles. She knew not every child had the same experience, she said. And that’s when Icaza-Gast said she decided it was time to do something.

This year, nearly 1,500 children will receive gifts through Student Santas’ personal delivery, she said.

The need for a free meal for families from noon to 2 p.m. Christmas Day at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau was realized soon after Icaza-Gast said she received a letter from a 5-year-old boy who requested “a nice meal for Christmas.”

“That just pulled at my heartstrings, and I could not get over that letter,” she said. “I thought, ‘Gosh, what could I do?’”

Icaza-Gast said she made a call to Isle Casino Cape Girardeau and asked for support in feeding roughly 450 people for free on Christmas.

“We’re the only ones that do that,” she said of the meal, now requiring 150 volunteers.

And this year, she said, The Southerner at 3359 Percy Drive in Cape Girardeau is partnering with the charity to donate the meal. She said chef Derek Miller at Isle Casino will be preparing the meal, “which is a big deal.” The menu will include turkey, green bean casserole and twice-baked potatoes, Icaza-Gast said.

She said Miller and Isle Casino general manager Lyle Randolph “love this community as much as I do.”

“It’s going to be delicious; they’re going all out this year,” Icaza-Gast said. “They are donating a tremendous amount of food so everybody can have not just a decent meal, but a great meal on Christmas Day.”

As for the location for the meal, she said it’s “a good one.” Many people who live close to Jefferson Elementary walk to the event because they don’t have vehicles, she said.

And each year, Icaza-Gast said, Jefferson Elementary is also presented with Christmas gifts through the organization.

“So it’s just very appropriate that we would have the dinner there,” she said.

With the help of teachers, students at Jefferson Elementary write letters to Student Santas with their age, gender and a few items they would like to receive as gifts, she said.

“We get all of the letters and we go out and purchase, according to what each child wants,” Icaza-Gast said. “It’s very child specific.”

She said Student Santas has helped nearly 25,000 children and their families within Missouri and surrounding states.

“It’s not just me; I’m just the one that has the idea,” she said. “It takes a lot of people to put this kind of thing on. We get it done by the generosity of folks right here in the community.”

Other gift-gifting programs in Southeast Missouri similar to Student Santas include Toys for Tots, Toybox, Christmas for the Elderly and Operation Christmas Child.

If you know of a child in need, send a letter with the child’s age, gender and toy requests to Student Santas, P.O. Box 641, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702.

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