Students select 'Angels' bearing gift wishes from the Angel Tree. (Photo by Ashley Helgerson '08)
By Sara Baer ’08
Service to others occurs throughout the year at Gustavus, and at Christmastime several service traditions help make the holiday season a little brighter for others. Despite the fact that final papers and projects are due in December and final exams are administered just prior to the holiday break, Gustavus students find time to organize and engage in these service projects.
The annual Angel Tree collects presents for local children. The project, coordinated by the Peer Assistants, provided 200 individuals with Christmas presents this year. Gustavus community members grant a young person’s wish by choosing a gift request written on an angel card that it is hung on a tree in the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center. A student or an employee takes an angel card from the tree and purchases, wraps, and returns a gift. The gifts are then distributed to children in need in the St. Peter Area.
The Student Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) collects toys and money for the Mankato Toys for Teens chapter. SAAB specifically chose Toys for Teens because it benefits youth ages 12 to 15—an age group that is often underrepresented as most holiday toy drives are geared at younger children. The Toys for Teens initiative is part of a larger program run through Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority hosts its annual Robbie Page Memorial silent auction and raffle to benefit hospitalized children. The Epsilon Pi Alpha fraternity coordinates a “Rock 4 Tots” event, which included live music and a toy-and-money drive to benefit Toys for Tots. Chi Kappa Chi sorority sells handmade crafts made by Guatemalan women using traditional Mayan techniques. The money raised supports the Guatemalan women and their communities.
‘Tis the season for giving and Gustavus students naturally jump in and share their gifts with others.