Atlas Employees Make Christmas Possible for Kids at a Local Elementary School

Barbie Sandifer, Family & Community Outreach Coordinator at Cedar Hall Elementary was speechless when these Atlas Elves showed up with a truck full of gifts for the students. Pictured from left to right: Gary Coomes, Building & Grounds Manager, Dennis Welch, Warehouseman & Supply, Mike Neeley,Senior Vice President & CIO, Don Breivogel, Senior Vice President and CFO, Barbie Sandifer, Nancy Priebe, Vice President of Human Resources, and Mark Spiehler, Senior Vice President of Claims Services.

Thirty children at Cedar Hall Elementary School in Evansville, IN had a happy holiday thanks to the contribution of Atlas employees.

It was announced in early November that Atlas partnered with Cedar Hall to purchase Christmas gifts for kids, plus tackle a list of school-wide needs that included items like polo shirts, khakis, books, games and personal hygiene products. The thirty students receiving gifts filled out wish lists for the elves to use as a guide during their shopping.

On December 4th, Human Resources set up an angel tree and decorated it with lists of needs and wishes for each student receiving gifts. Within four days, the tree was picked clean by Atlas employees eager to deliver a merry Christmas to Cedar Hall.

Gifts began to trickle in and were placed under the angel tree. By delivery day on December 17th, the tree was hardly noticeable, as it was covered by a tidal wave of bright packages. It was clear the Atlas elves had been hard at work. 

Gifts for thirty students at Cedar Hall Elementary cover the floor at Atlas HQ. It is a clear depiction of the outpouring support Atlas employees showed this holiday season.

The gifts were loaded into the back of an Atlas truck and shuttled across town to Cedar Hall. Barbie Sandifer, Family & Community Outreach Coordinator at the school, watched in shock and awe as all the gifts were unloaded.

Gifts were shuttled inside the school for safekeeping until they could be taken to the students' homes for Christmas.

Presents were brought in cart loads inside the school and eventually Barbie's office resembled Santa's storehouse. She claimed she was waiting until her new friends from Atlas left the building to shed a few tears of joy.

Hugs and holiday wishes were passed around the room before the Atlas employees got back in their empty truck, brimming full with Christmas spirit.

It was the beginning of a partnership that is here to stay, and everyone's hearts grew three sizes that day. Yet most importantly, it was the assurance that the boys and girls of Cedar Hall Elementary school had a very merry Christmas.