Photo credit: Haley Damron
The Christmas season brings joy to the students and faculty at University of the Cumberlands as they finish another semester with thankfulness and relief. Students anticipate leaving their dorms for their own beds and to spend time with their families and friends back home. However, every year the UC community has always found a way to give back to their Williamsburg, Ky. community before the semester ends. Academic departments and Christian organizations often take the opportunity to give back during Christmas time.
Hutton School of Business at UC is sponsoring a stuffed animal drive this Christmas. The fuzzy, faux creatures will be given to children taken from their homes by social services during the holidays and thereafter. The drive runs from Nov. 17 to Dec. 4. All stuffed animals, new and gently used, will be donated to Whitley County Social Services branch through the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services. Jane Carter, associate professor of Business Administration, came up with the idea as a proposal for the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society’s community service project.
“My goal is at least 75 stuffed creatures,” Carter said. “If we can get that, I would be really thrilled; if we exceed it, I’ll do my happy dance. I’m expecting some really great things from the students, faculty and staff in our department.”
By incorporating everyone involved in the HSB department, Carter said she hopes to raise awareness about the troubles children have when they are taken from their homes for their own protection. By donating stuffed animals to the social services, each child can be reminded they are cared for during the traumatizing event.
“Anytime you can help children in your local area is a blessing,” Agnes Brown, HSB administrative assistant, said. “That stuffed animal won’t take the place of the parents or foster parents, but it will give them some comfort knowing someone cares for them by giving them the teddy bear.”
Even though Christmas time is known as a time to appreciate all that is received and give back in thanks, Carter said giving back to the community shouldn’t be a seasonal occurrence. Social services can take a child from their home at any point in a year, so having the stuffed animal drive can raise awareness of the struggles these children feel as well as help those affected children feel comfort in tough family situations at any time during the year, not just the Christmas season.
“This shouldn’t be limited to Christmas; charitable giving and love shouldn’t be seasonal,” Carter said. “What I see happening with students involved in this program is that they’re starting to think about what young children have to cope with and if there is anything we can do to help, we need to do it.”
Giving back to the children and families in the local area is a goal for many Christmas time community service projects, especially for UC’s Mountain Outreach organization. Marc Hensley, director of Mountain Outreach, continues the annual Gift Day and other festivities for at risk children in the area along with the several other projects he runs for Mountain Outreach throughout the year.
This year, preparation for Gift Day, known as the annual Midnight Shopping Spree, is Dec. 5 and Gift Day is Dec. 13 at the Mountain Outreach Warehouse. For Gift Day, registered families are escorted through the warehouse by volunteers to choose toys, receive their $50 food voucher to Save-A-Lot Williamsburg and a box of food courtesy of God’s Pantry. Many groups and foundations generously donate everything Mountain Outreach provides.
“We keep in mind that this is Christmas time,” Hensley said about giving back for Gift Day. “God gave us the gift of Jesus as our savior, so the whole idea behind gift day is the gift.”
Hensley said his primary goal for Mountain Outreach during Gift Day is to be good stewards for the Lord, but to remain accountable and fair to all. Along with Hensley, many volunteers give countless hours of time for Gift Day and its process. Dirk Berta, a UC senior and member of Mountain Outreach, is participating in the entire process of Gift Day.
“As a Christian, you’re supposed to let your light shine and give back to the community,” Berta said. “I think as a Christian university, we’re doing a great job at giving back. Mountain Outreach is just another vessel for God to use.”
God uses many vessels on UC’s campus to help give back to the community. Sigma Tau Delta
, the English Honor Society, is doing the Angel Tree again this year. Last year, faculty sponsor Dr. Cristy Hall said they sponsored a four-year-old girl. This year, Dr. Hall said she hopes her group can sponsor an older boy by providing clothing and gifts for Christmas.
“I have a big vision for a small budget,” Dr. Hall said. “I don’t think you can ever go wrong when helping a kid.”
Anyone can give back during the holiday season. UC students and faculty can give back to their community by volunteering with UC’s Mountain Outreach and Appalachian Ministries or by going out on their own, whenever possible, to donate time or money to organizations that make life easier for less fortunate people.
Amanda Kelly 