LUMBERTON — The Houston Texans got an early Christmas present with a big 16-13 win over St. Louis Sunday, which coupled with the loses of other teams in the AFC keeps them alive in the playoff picture at 7-7.

Texans fullback and former South Robeson star Vonta Leach has been giving his own early Christmas presents for three straight years now.

Monday, Leach met with more than 50 needy families and foster children at the Wal-Mart in Lumberton to distribute gift cards. Leach says that it is a special feeling each year to do something significant for the community where he grew up.

“It’s just nice to give back, where the first two years we had 25 or 30, now we’ve got 46 or 50,” Leach said as some of the recipients came up to thank him. “Especially in this economic time where some people might not be used to this kind of situation.”

One of those people is Angela Baker, whose husband is the only person working in her home. She found out that she would get to take part in this two weeks ago.

“I took it as a blessing to be able to get this, because a lot of children, they’re in need and can’t get help,” Baker said.

She also explained how she came to be a recipient of one of Leach’s gift cards.

“She (Leach’s mother) was able to put our name on the list, and she told us the day and the time to be out here. They were looking for needy children whose parents weren’t working or only one was.”

She and her two three-year old sons, Jeremiah and Nehemiah, searched the aisles of the store for the perfect presents. Both boys seemed particularly fond of anything that had wheels or was capable of going fast. By the end of their time there, the Bakers’ shopping cart had plenty of toy cars, race tracks, and even two plastic horses.

As much fun as she was having picking out toys with help from her sons, there were some speed bumps for Angela along the way.

“If I buy one of them something and don’t buy it for the other, you know the other one is going to fight for it.”

Leach, who does not yet have any children of his own, understands how privileged he is to have the means to give back to those less fortunate.

“It puts things in perspective for you as a person for the holiday season.”