HOUSTON – One hundred underserved children enjoyed a free ice skating party at the 6th annual H-E-B Year of Joy Event Tuesday afternoon.
Oliver Stevenson, known as the man of the community, said this is a time of year that really brings him joy.
“My whole family works in the community,” Stevenson said.
Every year he and his godson help bring children from the Third Ward community to Joy Sewing’s annual holiday skating party.
“It’s just a great thing all of those people partnering together,” Stevenson said.
The 6th annual H-E-B Year of Joy Ice Skating Party is a free event for more than 100 children from the Third Ward and Sunnyside communities.
During the event, which was held at Discovery Green, Black professional figure skaters taught the children how to skate and each child got a special holiday gift bag from the Alliantgroup.
The children were also greeted by Santa Claus and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
KPRC 2 Anchor and Reporter Sabirah Rayford served as the emcee for the event.
“I’m so excited to go ice skating because I only went there last year and I feel more confident about skating,” one child said.
Stevenson is also the chairman of the Jingle Bell Jam, which is a concert event held at Texas Southern University for more than 500 children.
He knows paying it forward to these kids can go a long way.
“It gets them in the spirit,” Stevenson said.