Dexter Employees Fulfill Holiday Wish Lists

In a heartfelt show of community spirit, employees of Dexter-Russell, Inc. came together this holiday season to support children and families across the Charlton, MA school district. Through a coordinated Giving Tree initiative, Dexter employees fulfilled holiday wish lists for 67 children and 36 families at Heritage School, Charlton Elementary School, and Charlton Middle School. 

What began as an internal call for volunteers quickly grew into a company-wide effort. Employees from across all departments—manufacturing, administration, customer service, and leadership—personally selected tags, shopped for gifts, and thoughtfully wrapped presents to ensure each child received a joyful holiday experience. 

The tradition culminated in a special delivery day, where Dexter team members, joined by Santa Claus, visited all three Charlton schools to drop off gifts for distribution. The gifts included winter clothing, books, toys, art supplies, sports gear, and other essentials requested by the families. 

In addition to internal participation, Dexter also received generous outside support. Employees from Old Navy in Sturbridge contributed donations that helped expand the number of fulfilled wish lists, while A Great Notion, a bookstore owned by a former Charlton Middle School teacher, donated a selection of books to accompany the children’s gifts. These community partnerships allowed Dexter to reach even more families across the district. 

School administrators expressed deep gratitude for the partnership, noting that the support helped ease the financial burden on families during the holiday season. The impact of the initiative stretched far beyond presents—providing comfort, dignity, and joy to dozens of local children. 

Dexter-Russell has a longstanding history of supporting community programs, including food insecurity initiatives, school partnerships, and charitable giving efforts throughout the region. This year’s Giving Tree collaboration marks one of the company’s largest holiday outreach efforts to date. 

The gifts were delivered to the schools on Friday December 12, ensuring all families had ample time to pick up items before the holiday break.