Cove boy, scout pack distribute nearly 400 Christmas stockings to nursing homes

By BRITTANY FHOLER 
Cove Leader-Press 

Santa had some help from local children on Christmas Eve when Liam Mastin and his family delivered stockings to residents at each of the nursing homes and assisted living centers in Copperas Cove and Harker Heights. 
Mastin, 8,asurpassed his goal of collecting enough stockings for the three nursing homes in Copperas Cove and, with help from Cub Scout Pack 251, the Copperas Cove Dollar Tree and other members of the community, there were even enough items to be delivered to the Rosewood Retirement Community in Harker Heights. 
This was Mastin’s one wish for Christmas, to help others, and the family has been dealing with the loss of his grandfather and Simmons’ husband, Alvin Simmons, who passed away in October 2018. This year, Liam saw a commercial for Toys for Tots. 
“He said, ‘What about the old people?’” Simmons said. “He said to me, ‘You’re old. What are you going to get now that Pop’s gone?’ and I said, ‘Memories from you kids.’”
Liam decided he would rather get each of the nursing home residents stockings for Christmas, instead of asking for gifts for himself. Along with collecting items for donation in front of the Copperas Cove Dollar Tree, he received donations of stockings and gifts at the Copperas Cove Leader-Press office. 
Mastin and his grandmother, Kim Simmons, and their family distributed the stockings, filled with different items like crossword puzzles, socks, stuffed animals, candy canes and more,  at Copperas Cove Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Hill Country Rehab and Nursing Rehabilitation, and Stoney Brook Assisted Living.
Courtney Escobar, with Cub Scout Pack 251, organized a collection of stockings and Christmas cards, with the pack distributing stockings and Christmas cards at the Rosewood Retirement Community. 
Altogether, Mastin and company collected 397 stockings. 
Simmons said that when they delivered stockings to the residents, Mastin was very happy to see the smiles on their faces. 
He plans on going back to play checkers and Uno with the residents on the weekends, Simmons added. 
“Liam was very thankful that he completed his mission and that we were able to help the other nursing home for Christmas,” Simmons said. 
Mastin has plans to help out the residents again for Easter, she added. 
“I was very thankful for all the help from the community and that we all pitched in to this mission, and I am very blessed with a little boy that has a big heart,” Simmons said. 
Simmons said Mastin was so excited and happy to be able to give joy to other people. 
“This was definitely a Christmas miracle, and as a community [in] Copperas Cove, we all work together and we accomplished a Christmas miracle,” Simmons said.