Rep. Susan Valdes celebrates Three Kings Day with backpack and toy giveaway

Three Kings Day celebration in Tampa

FOX 13's Jordan Bowen talked with state Rep. Susan Valdes about her this amazing event for kids.

TAMPA - January 6 marks Three Kings Day, which celebrates the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts.

To commemorate the holiday, Florida State Rep. Susan Valdes held a special backpack and toy giveaway to kids and their families on Saturday at Zoo Tampa.

Special backpack and toy giveaway event for kids and their families on Saturday at Zoo Tampa.

It's her first event since she announced last month she's leaving the Democratic Party to join Republicans.

On this Three Kings Day in Tampa, gifts for kids lined the tables here at Zoo Tampa.

"I'm super grateful for this event. My kids were jumping up and down, leading to this. I bet they were super excited coming here," mom of three, Ashley Castor, said.

Saturday, Florida State Rep. Susan Valdes hosted a special backpack and toy giveaway to 150 children as a way to celebrate the holiday which marks the day the three wise men first saw baby Jesus and brought gifts.

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For Rep. Valdes, it's an important part of the Hispanic culture, so to commemorate it she says she wanted to help give families the gift of education.

"Everything is possible through an education and I think that's the biggest tool to get yourself out of poverty or out of situation is through an education," Valdes said.

Every registered child picked out a backpack full of notebooks, pencils, crayons and coloring books. Each kid also got to pick out a toy everything from basketballs and sports equipment to stuffed animals and games.

"My oldest 7-year-old, he opened up the backpack, and he was like, look Mommy, I got notebooks. We actually needed some as well, so I'm honestly really grateful for that," Castro said.

The event marks about a month since Representative Valdes announced she would be leaving the Democratic Party and joining Republicans. She wrote in a statement that she was "tired of being the party of protesting when I got into politics to be part of the party of progress".

Special backpack and toy giveaway event for kids and their families on Saturday at Zoo Tampa.

"I am the same public servant that I've been on the school board, that I've been on the Florida House these last 20 years that I've been serving in different capacities and leadership, so Susan is going to continue to work hard," Valdes said.

She says that starts by working together with local organizations like Zoo Tampa, The Brink Foundation and Miss Latina Tampa to help serve the community, especially children and families. All three groups helped raise funds for the backpacks and toys, collecting a total of more than $3,000.

"Just to see their faces light up and then just to see which toy they want to choose, it's just, you know, that glimmer of hope. It's like anything through a child's eye is just miraculous," Valdes said.

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