Donations help improve holidays
Student Community Service, Catholic Charities help benefit 200 children
Jenna Mitchell/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 12/8/09 Section: News
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To fill that void, the Student Community Service and Catholic Charities have a seasonal toy drive to support local families during the holidays.
All the donations collected from Eastern will directly benefit Christmas for Kids, a program run by Mattoon's Catholic Charities.
Rachel Fisher, director of Student Community Service, is excited about this year's toy drive and anticipates an outcome even greater than last year.
"During last year's toy drive, we raised just about 150 donations," she said.
This year, Student Community Service wants to raise roughly 200 plus items to donate. Acceptable donations include toys, clothing and non-perishable food items.
"One (donated) item is enough," Fisher said. "Any way that anyone wants to help is fantastic."
Once the toy drive is finished, all donations will be forwarded to Catholic Charities to be put together in bags for 200 children who reside locally and in neighboring towns.
Sandy Clark, director at Catholic Charities, encourages students and faculty to dig a little deeper this year with their donations.
"(Everyone) should remember back to when they were children and to what they used to like to receive for Christmas," Clark said.
Christmas for Kids has been going on for at least nine years with Catholic Charities and will continue in years to come.
"It is just amazing how this all comes together, and in the end, it is so rewarding seeing the parents look in their child's bag, with tear-filled eyes, and say, 'This is just what they wanted!'" Clark said.
Even though times are hard right now economically, ways can be found to contribute to the charity this holiday season.
Megan Camiliere, a freshman early childhood education major, has great plans to donate this December.
"Some girls on my floor and I plan to pool together to buy something a child would appreciate this Christmas season," Camiliere said. "We don't have much extra money lying around, but put together we can get something great."
Student Community Services, in partnership with Chi Sigma Iota, will end their toy drive at 3 p.m. Friday.
Sometimes the best part of giving to those less fortunate is knowing that small contributions could improve their holiday.
"Think small, and in the end (everything that was donated) will add up to a big difference," Fisher said.
To make a donation, contact Rachel Fisher at 581-6048, or stop by the Student Life Office on the third floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Jenna Mitchell can be reached at 581-7942 or DENnewsdesk@gmail.com.
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