Friday, December 11, 2009

SMU helps Winona community give gifts

BY RYAN BRISCOE
Copy Editor

The students, faculty and staff of Saint Mary’s University continue to demonstrate their concern for the less fortunate as they donate gifts and money to provide Christmas presents for low-income families in the greater Winona community through the SMU Gifts for Winona program. Gifts for Winona connects people who wish to be generous during the Christmas season with those families who need and want certain gifts. Donors choose a family or individual to sponsor and purchase the gifts the family has requested.

“Families who wished to receive gifts this year were asked to fill out a simple application at Winona Volunteer Services,” said Laurie Haase, program coordinator and business office coordinator. SMU students and other volunteers helped to facilitate the application process. Haase continued, “This process helps to ensure that only people in need receive gifts.”

Additionally, the application process helps individuals to narrow their requests, which prevents them from receiving presents they do not want. Originally begun by Winona Volunteer Services, Gifts for Winona is now coordinated by SMU. Many other local organizations contribute their resources, such as area churches, said Haase. Additionally,Winona Volunteer Services, Winona Radio and the Winona Post are the program’s major partners.

Two campus organizations donate gifts: the Knights of Columbus and the brothers of Phi Mu Alpha; ultimately, however, the program relies on individual donors to succeed. Last year, Gifts for Winona provided 1,846 individuals gifts. With the current economic situation, Haase said she was worried about what the program would be able to accomplish this year. She said the program was concerned not only because it was assumed that there would be a greater need for gifts, but also because people cannot respond as generously if their own means are limited. Therefore, this year Gifts for Winona decided to limit its recipients to children and teens under 18 and seniors 60 years or older. However, Haase said, “The response this year has been so great that it appears we will be able to give every family a grocery store gift-certificate as well.” “The recommended amount to spend on a gift is $30,” said Katie LaPlant, another SMU Gifts for Winona coordinator. “We’re not giving people ipods or anything.” The goal of Gifts for Winona is to provide a Christmas present for those people in our community who otherwise might not receive anything. This year’s typical gifts include the usual clothing items for senior citizens and kids, but there have also been a good deal of Twilight gifts and video games, said LaPlant.

This year families will receive their gifts from Winona Volunteer Services on Dec 16th and 17th.

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