A Gift For Sam and Jack

When Dan Sieff watches his kids open gifts during the holidays, he realizes how fortunate his family is, he says: They have gifts to open, and, everyone is around to open them.

This year, in that spirit, he's hoping a last-minute video game drive will give some local sick children at INOVA a gift for Christmas, and also honor two members of the Vienna Community who will be missed on the holiday for the first time.

Sieff is collecting gently used video games, Wii games and electronics over the weekend in honor of Sam Savia, 85, and Jack Donaldson, 12, whose deaths affected the Sieff family, and the Vienna community, in different ways, he said.

Sieff first met Savia, when he joined the years ago.

"He was the first person I met there when I joined, just the warmest most pleasant guy you could ever imagine," Sieff said.

And while his family isn't friends with the Donaldson family, who lost their son Jack in September ,he is inspired by their strength and

"I drive past the place where Jack perished twice a day to and from work and it makes me think about that night and also the amazing strength shown by his family and the unbelievable support from the community," Sieff said.

People with items to donate should drop them off in the box in front of 9520 Center Street. Sieff will take whatever he has collected to INOVA Fairfax Children's hospital on Monday. ( A wish list can be found here).

"Vienna is literally one of the most special places I have been to in this world," Sieff said. "The people here are caring, the community is strong and if there is a chance to give back then we should all do it."