Riley collecting gifts for children

Josh Riley of Desperados Restaurant in Hill City has been sending  holiday gifts to children at the Black Hills Children’s Home for the last five years. This year is no exception.

Riley collects gifts for the children for all the major holidays including Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. This year Riley is opening up the gift giving  opportunity to members of the community. 

According to Theresa Schreiner, development and events manager at the Black Hills Children’s Home, Riley is “very generous” and has made a “tremendous difference to all the programming at the Black Hills Children’s Home.”

Schreiner describes Riley’s generosity.

“Desperados Restaurant  bought brand new athletic shoes for all the kids at our residential treatment location,” she said. He also bought each a basketball. 

She recalls when Riley paid for all the therapeutic foster families to have pizza lunch and movie day. 

“Desperados has done so much for us,” she said. 

At Christmastime Riley takes the Children’s Home wish list and provides, “literally a truckload of donations,” according to Schreiner. 

Why does he take on this endeavor each year? Even though Riley has no children of his own he is sympathetic to the most vulnerable children in our community who are served by the Black Hills Children's Home.

Donations of things like activity books, lip balm, deodorant, double and triple A batteries, decks of cards, 3D puzzles, Nerf balls and K-Pop CDs are all appreciated. Children especially enjoy legos and fidget spinners as well.

Community members who want to donate can drop off items at Desperados before April 14, when Riley will be bringing the gifts to the Black Hills Children’s Home so that children can have them for Easter.