12-19-2019

Indianola mother goes out of way to brighten season for special needs children

MT. PLEASANT—An Indianola mother with a nine-year-old autistic boy has gone out of her way the last five years to make Christmas and Easter a little bit more joyous for those people in Sanpete County with special needs children.

For the fifth year now, Nichole Christensen has sponsored an event that brings Santa Claus and Ms. Claus together with children who are disabled or have special needs.

This year, nine children and their parents came to visit Santa at an LDS Ward in Mt. Pleasant on Dec. 6.

The event gives parents and kids time to be themselves, Christensen said. “Every child is different in their abilities,” she said. “We need everyone to be able to see the joy of the holidays.”

The occasion is special for parents because it creates a place where all the parents know how they may feel, she said.

At Easter time, Christensen also puts on a special Easter egg hunt for special needs children.

All the events are free for the participants and funded by private donations, she said. Any donors who would like to help out can contact her at 435-262-9190.

“Even if I didn’t have a special needs child,” she said. “I feel there is a necessity for this.”