The holiday season can be a difficult time for anyone that is away from home. The team at Westlake Ace Hardware in Council Bluffs, Iowa, organized an event to help honor the Christmas wishes of at-risk children staying at the local Children's Square U.S.A. facility.

Children's Square is a nonprofit organization that serves vulnerable, at-risk children and youth with a variety of services designed to help them have a healthy, happy life. Children stay at the facility for an average of 3 to 8 months while they are being treated under a doctor's care.

"We try to make Christmas very special for the children who are here. Thanks to Ace, we do even more for them, and we are so thankful for that," said Viv Ewing, Children's Square President and CEO.

Westlake Ace Hardware welcomed the children with a special event held just for them at the store. One of the store associates, Forrest Peck, dressed up as Santa and distributed gifts from a wish list that the children provided.

"Seeing the looks on their faces when they opened their presents and got what they were asking for was really awesome," said Bryan Allen, Westlake Ace Hardware Manager. "One of the associates that works for Children's Square said to me ‘These kids, any time someone listens to what they have to say, they appreciate it!"

After the kids all got the gifts they wished for, they turned their attention to a display of stuffed animals. They fell in love with the cute, cuddly toys.

‘They're called "Warmies." You can put them in the microwave and warm them up! The kids were all looking at these stuffed animals and you can tell they were just loving them," said Bryan. "It was a natural thing to just let everybody have one, and it made their day."

For everyone involved with the event, it was a chance to enjoy a bit of holiday cheer and have fun being together.

"We all look forward to spending the holidays with our families. The children who are here on campus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day don't get that opportunity," said Mary Ann Hanusa, Director of Special Projects and Programs for Children's Square. "We're just completely grateful to Westlake Ace Hardware and their employees for their generosity and their kindness, and for opening up their store so that our children could not only have the gifts that they provided but also this very special experience."