Tour paves way for happier Christmas

The Pilot Point Gift Tour grew by about 100 people from 2024 to 2025.

That extra support means more kids and their families can experience a full Christmas celebration.

“It’s always just so special to my heart that we get to help families and kiddos here in the district,” said Mindi Storey-Johnson, who started the gift tour in 2017 in honor of her friend and mentor Sue “Goggie” Wilson Stafford. “This year, we’re going to be able to provide [for] a little bigger need that we haven’t been able to do in the past because of the added 100 tickets.”

That, paired with some anonymous donations, will mean some families will be able to get appliances they need this Christmas.

The gift tour focuses its efforts on students in the middle school age range, because traditional gift-giving organizations often focus most on younger children.

“We have a really great counselor at the middle school, Mr. [Cole] Warren, who I get to work with,” Storey-Johnson said. “We get to do a lot of great things together.”

She said her own family’s experience with him taught her she can “count on him to know where there’s a need and to do good for other people.”

Her daughters, Ronnie Johnson and Elli Johnson, were in the gazebo helping from the jump.

“It’s so special, just for all the kids it helps,” Elli said. “It’s so special giving all the gifts on Christmas Eve. ... Delivering them is probably my favorite part and getting to go see the parents so happy to have them. It’s just so special to see people so happy like that.”

For Donna Bidelman, who came out as part of a group of 16 friends and family including Micky Nortman and Julie Holloway, was excited to be part of the effort.

“It’s so much fun and just a lot of community spirit and just giving back to the community,” Bidelman said. “I love what the Johnson family does and Nicole and the whole crew, how the community comes together.”

She also expressed her appreciation for the shop owners who invest in the annual event.

Cierra Briggs, who has participated for four years, came with her mom and her toddler.

“This is fun, that she can enjoy it this year with us,” she said.

Kate Major was out with several friends to enjoy the time together and to do some good at the same time.

“It’s Pilot Point that’s taught me how to shop local,” she said.

Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Evon Lusk was giving out cookies made by Liberty Korbel along with information about the Chamber.

“She started this out of the goodness of her heart, so this is heart work,” Lusk said. “And I love being one of the Sues of Pilot Point.”

One of the vendors who was set up on the square, Lourdes Flood, was offering custom jewelry as well as sipping tequila.

She spoke of the love she has developed for Pilot Point through boarding her horses there and through doing business in the area.

“I love Pilot Point,” she said. “It’s very cozy, very pretty.”

Her fellow downtown vendor for the day Erica Riney who offered her custom jewelry pieces said she loved seeing everyone come together for such a good cause.

She herself has participated on the shopping side of the tour before.

“This is so awesome to have all these ladies out here shopping,” she said.

Vendors from across Pilot Point, such as Lee Ann Ray of Pilot Point Florist, prepared with free gifts for all of the gift tour participants.

Ray loves every chance she has to be part of good works in town.

“Pilot Point always pulls together and helps people in need, and I’m glad to be able to be a part of that,” she said.

Gretchen Counts of Southern Junkiez on the square also has a heart for serving her hometown, and she said being part of the gift tour is a continuation of that for her and her sister.

“We love seeing everybody, getting to enjoy the holiday spirit with everybody,” she said. “But also, it rounds out the end of our year and helps us give back. It’s just a fun day.”