Six years ago, Miles Blackwell, a popular Athens High School sophomore, was killed in a single-car accident after helping out a foster child.

Determined to honor their son’s memory, Derek and Rosalyn Thompson-Blackwell founded the 4Miles Blackwell Foundation, an organization that continues Miles’ legacy of service. The 16-year-old was a star athlete with a soft spot for underprivileged children, often spending his free time with children from the Boys & Girls Club or in foster care.

Since 2011, the foundation has provided 41 scholarships to AHS students and for the last two years has hosted a huge community Christmas party that benefits children in need.

“Miles loved to volunteer,” Rosalyn said. “He died keeping a promise to take one of the foster children he worked with to a basketball game.”

For the second year, the foundation has partnered with the Limestone County Department of Human Resources and several local churches to bring Christmas to foster kids and children in need. The Blackwells and foundation volunteers spend months preparing for the community Christmas party, which includes carnival games, kid-friendly food and most importantly, a pile of brand-new Christmas gifts.

“We don’t want people putting their bills off until next month so that their children or foster children can have a Christmas,” she said. “This helps wipe away a major expense.”

Kids can also visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves.

“The kids have a great time,” Rosalyn said. “Their reactions make all the work we put into it worthwhile.”

The Christmas party was such a success last year they had to secure the Limestone County Event Center for this year. They expect 120 children and families to attend this Saturday’s event.

“The needs of DHR have increased, partly because of the drug crisis,” she said. “We hope to continue to grow each year so we can make a difference in the lives of more children.”

“That is something that was important to Miles,” she added.