Wladis’ family spreads holiday warmth to students in Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — On a snowy day, the third graders in Miss Tucker’s class probably didn’t expect to get a special lesson on the kindness of strangers.

Even though it’s warm inside,  the students don’t want to take off their hats and gloves.  Those items are all special gifts from Mark and Steve Wladis, who they’ve never even met.  The brothers are taking a little time out to spread kindness, maybe not even realizing just how far that kindness will go. 

“I was really happy because I didn’t have a hat. My hat was stolen and my face was freezing all the time,” said third-grader, Na’riah Sullivan.

The Wladis Law Firm and Wladis Companies, Inc. donated more than 11,000 free hats and gloves to Syracuse City School District students. 

“You won’t believe the feeling when you walk into a classroom, you hand out a hat and a pair of gloves to a child and it’s unbelievably rewarding,” said Steve Wladis.

The event began in 1997 at Seymour Elementary and is now in its 23^rd year, reaching all Pre-K through 8th-grade students in the Syracuse City School District.

“Our dad started it 23 years ago and the Superintendent, Jaime Alicia, was the principal at the time when he started it and it started snowballing,” said Mark Wladis.

More than 10,000 students in the district received hats and gloves on Thursday.

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