By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DOWNTOWN - Eight brothers and sisters from Price Hill learned a lesson Thanksgiving Day: Blessings, their mom says, sometimes come when you least expect them and from people you don't even know.

7 year old Breajua White leads the way through the buffet line. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

They learned it as they touched up their new hairdos, put on their new clothes, piled into a white stretch Humvee limo and rode to the Hilton Netherland Plaza downtown for a turkey dinner in the hotel's venerable Palm Court restaurant. All of it was free - donated by people who heard about the big family who could use a little holiday help..

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, it's so beautiful," Jill Vonner told her kids. "Our blessing is here."

It all started as one businessman's idea. John Bruening II, owner of Central Light in the West End, mentioned at the neighborhood business association meeting in September that he'd like to help a family for Thanksgiving. Neighborhood Officer Princess Davis said she'd find somebody.

She found 10 somebodies - Jill, 33, and her husband, Henry Vonner, 44, and Jill's kids: Princess, 18, Oliver, 17, Chennell, 15, Eric, 12, Beverly, 11, Breanna, 10, Breajua, 7, and Donetta, 5. Married a year, the Vonners and the kids live with her sister and all help care for Oliver, who has cerebral palsy and is a paraplegic.

First, Breuning's money paid for the meal. From there, the help grew beyond anything Davis or the Vonners could've expected.

Saks Fifth Avenue donated a black outfit and jacket for Jill to wear. Lazarus helped with other clothes. Donetta Johnson, owner of Donetta's Personal Touch in Deer Park, styled all the girls' hair.

"It feels good, you know, to help somebody around the holidays,'' she said. "There was a time in my life when I wanted to get my hair done and couldn't. I can just imagine what it would be like to try to pay to get all those heads done."

The owner of A.G. Wizzz cleaning company donated money so Davis could tip the wait staff, limo driver and hair stylists. A barber cut Eric's name into the back of his hair, then took him to the mall to buy the thing he wanted most for Christmas - Timberland boots.

The 12-year-old initially got in Davis' face, telling her he didn't like the police. He quickly changed his mind, even admitting to a little crush on her partner, Officer Andrea Smythe. The kids now call Davis their aunt.

"I think it's going to be my best Thanksgiving ever too," said Davis. "This is just incredible what all these people have given. And it all started with just this one man."

That giving spirit was praised over and over Thursday afternoon during the limo ride and meal.

The children were so excited, Jill Vonner said they couldn't stop tinkering with the limo's television and radio. A couple of the younger ones were even dancing in their seats.

They arrived in style shortly before 2 p.m. As soon as Oliver was settled in his wheelchair, hotel staff escorted them upstairs to a lavish dining room.

There, they gathered around a large table and raised glasses of orange juice and water to a "Happy Thanksgiving" toast before heading to the buffet.

Each plate was filled with something different, turkey and mashed potatoes to mixed greens, fruit and crackers. But they all took a moment to reflect on their blessings before digging in.

"I didn't think it was going to be like this," Princess said. "This is one of my dreams come true. I'll never forget it."

Jill Vonner, who directs a choir at a Dayton church, said even now that the meal is over, she'll continue to remind the kids of everything that was done for them.

"I told them you have to take your blessings as they come," she said, "and be very grateful."

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Erica Solvig contributed.

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com