Ornaments bring holiday charity to Sioux Falls

By Katy Nelson

Mirror Staff Writer
November 30, 2007

This year, Christmas tree ornaments will be replaced by donated gifts for the Sioux Falls community.

Volunteer Services is working on this year’s Christmas Giving project by placing trees around campus in hopes that students and staff will donate gifts to charity.

Beginning this week, “giving trees” are decorated with ornaments that have a gift written on them, said junior Katie Gregg, student coordinator for Christmas Giving.

The gifts are taken from wish lists provided by the charity agencies involved, said senior Jenny Ymker, who helps organize, wrap and deliver the gifts as part of her work-study job at Volunteer Services. Students and staff can take an ornament, buy a gift and return it to the tree unwrapped.

Gifts range from educational toys to necessities, such as socks and underwear.

“For the kids we give these gifts to, even the simple stuff is hard to come by,” Gregg said.

Gregg became involved in Christmas Giving as a freshman and says that it is rewarding for her because she feels it is a way for her to give back.

“I was and am fortunate to have blessed holidays and wanted to help those who are less fortunate to enjoy the season just as much, if not more,” Gregg said.

Gifts are given to local charities, including the Children’s Home Society, Heartland House, Children’s Care Hospital and Lutheran Social Services’ immigrant and refugee program, according to Karina Stander, director of Volunteer Services.

“Many of us are blessed this time of year and it is a privilege to be able to share that blessing with others,” Stander said. It is her second year organizing Christmas Giving.

To publicize the program, senior Kat Burdine made signs, and volunteers placed wrapped boxes around campus with information about Christmas Giving. Volunteer Services has asked several student groups to “adopt” families. Groups are given a family and told ages and genders of the members. They then raise money to buy gifts for that family, Ymker said.

Most of the gifts on the campus trees cost under $10. Students can purchase more than one if they choose, according to Gregg.

Trees are located in every dorm and education building, the Elmen center and Morrison Commons. Gifts will be collected Nov. 30, through Dec. 11, and during semester shutdown there will be an all-night wrapping party where students are encouraged to help.

“It’s a great way to involve the entire campus in a way where everyone gets a chance to help and incorporate one of Augustana’s core values: service,” Ymker said.

“Last year we collected more than 1,300 gifts,” Stander said. “It would be wonderful to exceed that number this year.”