The Christmas season got a lot brighter for more than a dozen families in the Flathead Valley after a “Secret Santa” paid for their layaway purchases at the Kmart in Evergreen.

“I don’t think that man understands what he did for these kids,” Joani Gailey told the Daily Inter Lake. “I was just shocked and completely surprised.”

Gailey, a mother of three children, had placed presents for her kids and her husband on layaway and was working more hours so that she would have to only make two payments of about $200 each.

“For parents who work paycheck to paycheck, layaway at Kmart is the way to go, especially this time of year,” Gailey said.

Gailey said she had toys and clothes for her kids and clothing for her husband. When she went into Kmart on Dec. 12, Gailey discovered an unknown benefactor had paid off quite a few of the layaway pruchases, one of them being hers. She said the total for the 15 or 16 families was about $2,400.

“I was overjoyed that someone had taken their time and did this wonderful cause for such hard-working people here in the valley,” Gailey said. “I have heard about people paying it forward before, but I have never been on the receiving end of such a gift. I have also been there lately at Kmart when others have found out what has happened. So to our Secret Santa, know that you have made a lot of families very appreciative this Christmas, but also a few of us have paid it forward and actually made payments toward other layaways.”

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.