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She’s now Zaxby’s Nicholasville consultant and started as a cashier in 2011. Her name is Danica King, but everyone calls her Princess. She’s spent the past year raising money and buying Christmas presents for Jessamine County children in need.

This Christmas event is called Princess Angels. And it all started in 2012 when King was the general manager of the Nicholasville Zaxby’s. In place of a staff secret Santa, King had the idea to donate to local kids who don’t have the privilege of receiving Christmas presents.

King called different Jessamine County Schools to curate a list from teachers and counselors to find needy children.

Sandy Adams, the owner of the location, soon heard about King’s project and told her she would match anything King raised.

“To have three children, three small children, and to have one on her hip while doing all this shopping, she deserves all the praise. I couldn’t do it,” Adams said.

In 2012, Princess Angels donated to 13 children.

This year, with Adams’ match, King raised $6,350, which allowed her to give to 46 children- 34 teenagers. King and Adams said this is important because most teenagers don’t receive gifts from other programs unless they have younger siblings.

Each child on King’s list gets at least one outfit with socks and undergarments and one or two items from their wishlist. Wishlist items range from Barbies and Hot Wheels to basketball shoes and drums.

Adams said they even had two teen girls who asked for pillows and blankets and a teen boy who wanted new bedding.

Although King is the captain of this ship, she doesn’t do it alone. Her husband, Ronnie, and their children- a five-year-old, one-year-old, and seven-year-old helped her load the car to prepare to give away the donations, along with her husband, Ronnie King.

In addition, King’s Mother, Charlotte Todd, will often help King with shopping and “keeps everyone in line,” according to King.

After shopping and raising money for this year’s donations since January 2022, King took over the Zaxby’s dining room with her family on Friday, December 16. Boxes of clothes, shoes, backpacks, and sports balls were stacked halfway to the ceiling and covered the floor.

Adams said King has the ‘let’s get it done mentality’ and exemplifies that with this yearly event.

“I’m excited. I mean, you can’t outgive God. And this is a true blessing for the county, the community,” Adams said.