Secret Santas Pay Off Bills

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Updated: 12:48 PM Dec 24, 2011 Secret Santas Pay Off Bills Secret Santas are paying off shoppers' layaways this holiday season. At Kmart on Hydraulic Road, five thousand dollars has been donated anonymously to help dozens of families buy gifts for their children. Posted: 10:33 AM Dec 22, 2011 Reporter: Rachel Ryan Email Address: rachel.ryan@newsplex.com

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December 22, 2011

They are known as the "Layaway Angels." Anonymous donors are popping up in Kmarts across the country, including the store on Hydraulic Road, paying off people's holiday wish lists on layaway.

"People come in and say they want to help people out," said Gerri Clark, the store manager at the Kmart in Charlottesville. "But they always want to be anonymous."

More than five thousand dollars has been donated by people in the area who say they want to pay it forward and make sure someone else has a happy holiday.

Clark says one customer had been laid off and was struggling to figure out how she was going to be able to by groceries and still purchase gifts for her children. When Clark told the woman that a layaway angel had paid off her debt, the woman burst into tears.

Another man walked into the store and told Clark his ailing daughter had just been given then news that she would get a kidney transplant. He said he wanted to pay it forward and help someone else out. He donated $300 on the spot to pay off one family's layaway.

"It restores your faith in mankind. That people in this country are always willing to help each other out.," Clark said.

Per store policy, all of the donated money goes towards layaway items for children. After witnessing the generosity of complete strangers, Clark and her co-workers say they have a new found belief in the spirit of giving.

Latest Comments

Posted by: a Location: charlottesville on Dec 24, 2011 at 04:16 PM

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO WHOM EVER DID THIS FOR ME TODAY! I LEFT THE STORE IN TEARS OF JOY BECAUSE I CAME IN TO THE CHARLOTTESVILLE KMART AND CAME TO THE COUNTER TO PAY MY BALANCE AND PICK UP MY LAYAWAY WHEN THE LADY TOLD ME THAT ALL I HAD TO PAY WAS 1 CENT. I ASKED HER IF THAT WAS THE CORRECT ONE AND SHE SAID YES MA'AM YOU HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE SECRET SANTA AND THEY PAID IT ALL OFF BUT 1 CENT... IM SOOOOO THANKFUL AND DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY BUT THANKS TO WHOM EVER DID THIS THAT YOU HAVE HELP MY FAMILY OUT!!!! MUCH LOVE AND THANKS AGAIN!!!

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