It’s that time of year again. The temperature has dropped below 70 degrees. Mariah Carey has dominated radio stations everywhere. And Toyotathon is on. To quote Charlie Brown, “Christmas time is here.”
The spirit of Christmas radiates from the student body as students frantically cram for the last round of tests before finals. But beyond the academic frenzy, Jesuit is devoted to giving back this Christmas season. Jesuit is currently hosting its annual Christmas Tree Giving Drive, targetting those in need this holiday season.
In the traditional library, there are four Christmas trees adorned with lights and paper ornaments, benefitting the Wilkinson Center, Catholic Charities, Santa Boots Veterans, St. Vincent de Paul, and Hillcrest House. Each ornament represents a gift request from an individual in one of these organizations ranging from $10 to $40. The individuals seeking these items do not have the necessities that many members of our community enjoy regularly.
This year, the Jesuit community has accepted the challenge to provide 1000 gifts to individuals in these five organizations. Of these 1000, only 100 remain. To meet this goal, Jesuit asks all who are able to donate to pick up an ornament in the traditional library and return the designated gift by this Friday, December 7th. Students who bring a gift by this Friday will receive 1 hour of community service toward their yearly quota.
The Jesuit community service department has set up an iPad station for those checking out ornaments, so those remaining can be tracked.
The holiday season should be centered around giving rather than receiving. We are called to come together as a community to help those in need this Christmas. Stay tuned to The Roundup for more updates on Jesuit outreach.
