The holiday season is full of joy and anticipation for children all around the world. Children count down the days until Santa Claus visits their home dropping off toys and presents that they have been hoping for throughout the year. For most, Santa does show up on Christmas Eve, but for the less fortunate children in the world Santa somehow misses their homes.
My CEO was to help find the houses Santa might miss. The Oshkosh Police and Fire Departments partnered with the Salvation Army to collect gifts from generous community members for the less fortunate children in our community. The week before Christmas, throughout the neighborhoods of Oshkosh, there were sounds of Christmas music intertwined with sirens of an old fire truck. Traveling through the neighborhoods with the old fire truck were other emergency and service vehicles along with a Salvation Army truck loaded with donated canned goods and presents. Perched on the old fire truck was Santa Claus welcoming and greeting the people in the neighborhoods. Once people heard these sounds, they ran out of their homes to give canned goods and presents. The many volunteers, who were walking down the streets next to the trucks, greeted, thanked, and took the donations of the neighbors to the Salvation Army truck. On the Salvation Army truck, there were several volunteers organizing the presents and canned goods making sure the children’s Christmas lists would be fulfilled.
I felt an atmosphere full of joy and excitement and saw how this project impacted our community. I saw love and compassion in the firefighters’ and volunteers’ eyes. It amazed me how generous the people were who gave donations, and I saw that same love and compassion in their eyes, too. This project impacted everyone who was associated with it. Those who donated understood the true meaning of Christmas is giving and to appreciate what they have, and those who received felt the love of the season knowing that people actually do care. As a volunteer on this project, I was glad I could be one of Santa’s elves so that no houses would be missed on Christmas Eve.
-- Nick Bauer, Communities 2 Student
Photo includes Zac Hassman, Ben Leib, Santa Claus, and Nick Bauer
