Gospel DJ continues her gift-giving
(pictured above: Anita “Boss Lady” Dean-Arnette with Santa and a young gift recipient in 2013.)
Anita “Boss Lady” Dean-Arnette, the popular deejay at The Light, a gospel station heard throughout the Triad on 1340 AM, 1400 AM and 103.5 FM, is continuing her tradition of providing Christmas toys to families in need.
Her annual Christmas giveaway show will air today (Thursday, Dec. 18) from 9 a.m. – noon.
Generous radio fans and corporate sponsors make the toy giveaway possible by donating gifts for children ages 1 through 12. Listeners write letters to Dean-Arnette, telling her of local families that are experiencing hardships and why they deserve a special holiday blessing. Dean-Arnette reads the letters before presenting the families with a trove of gifts; it all happens live, on-air.
“We try to help everybody who writes,” Dean-Arnette said. “It’s very rewarding to see kids get toys who would otherwise not have Christmas.”
Past recipients of Dean-Arnette’s generosity have included single moms and grandparents rearing grandchildren and families who had fallen on hard times because of illness, injuries or other unexpected catastrophes. She has even fulfilled requests from inmates in correctional centers. One inmate asked Dean-Arnette to help his two year-old daughter and her mother, both of whom were suffering, he said, because of his mistakes.
