By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
Marcus Thomas Henderson wants to live in Hawaii — or at least visit the tropical paradise of an island. His logic is simple. The 7-year-old Rockingham young man and first-grader at L.J. Bell Elementary School said he’d like to see what Santa Claus looks like in shorts.
Marcus Thomas Henderson
Short of that, however, Marcus figures giving back is a way to stay in Santa’s good graces — just in case a chance encounter comes his way. Marcus is adopted and knows the trials and tribulations children can experience inside the visitation room at the Richmond County Department of Social Services. So he decided to brighten the place up a little.
At Mount Zion Church of Christ in Ledbetter, Rev. Dian Griffin Jackson declared the fourth Sunday of each month “Marcus Sunday.” A special collection was taken up for the cause, and Marcus and his adoptive mother, Wanda Henderson, have spent the past two days purchasing toys, books and crayons with the $353.07 collected since his fundraising efforts began 11 months ago.
He did it, he said, “for the people who don’t have.”
Find a need, fill a need — a mantra not utilized often enough by those of any age, before or since the Disney movie “Robots.”
The pair spent $86 at Dollar General, which leaves a balance of about $267. Henderson and Marcus have decided to purchase clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items for children at his church “until every dime is gone.”
“We may just go somewhere and feed somebody,” Henderson said.
Henderson has had both Marcus and his older sister, Sharonda, living with her since Dec. 4, 2009. On Feb. 29, 2012, the adoptions were finalized. Henderson, though, stressed the positive relationship between the two children and their biological mother.
Submitted photo
Marcus Thomas Henderson, 7, shows that $86 goes a long way in providing books, toys and crayons for children inside the visitation room at the Richmond County Department of Social Services.
“Ironically enough, his mother and I are really close,” Henderson said.
She recalled that as she and the children went through the foster system, a relationship blossomed.
“The purpose of foster care is to reunite the kids,” Henderson said. “You take them out of a situation until things get better. Sometimes that doesn’t happen.”
Henderson said Marcus’ mother is a good person — she simply had children far too young to care for them properly. Despite any stigma, the mother was “not a terrible parent.”
It was the idea of Lakwanza Brown, Marcus’ former social worker at DSS, to fill the visitation room with new toys. It was an idea Marcus was happy to act on.
As for his own Christmas list, Marcus said he wanted a phone, an iPod and a toolbox.
The fundraising idea, Henderson said, began a year ago when Marcus wanted to host a yard sale. It was too cold, Henderson told her son, so the two turned to the warmth and generosity of their church to help fulfill Marcus’ vision.
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