Clubs give back for the holidays

As the holiday season approaches, many clubs have dedicated themselves to completing community service activities.

As a present to disadvantaged children for the holidays, Key Club members crafted approximately 40 stuffed sock animals on Nov. 29 and will continue to make more on Dec. 13.

The members will donate the sock animals to the Annual Christmas Toy Drive at the Union Rescue Mission, a Christian organization devoted to providing for the homeless, in Downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 16.

The children the Union Rescue Mission supports will receive the dolls, along with a friendly message from the student who created it. Homeless parents can also pick up toys for their kids at the toy drive.

“It spreads happiness to these children,” Key Club Public Relations Officer Junior Ethan Hsu said. “By creating and donating them, we are not only making the people supported by the institution happier, but everyone involved in the process is also learning to become better people.”

While Key Club focuses on handmade gifts, Giving Children Hope Club fundraised in order to fulfill some underprivileged children’s wishlists on Nov. 28.

This new club is dedicated to providing for vulnerable children and families in the Los Angeles area. Giving Children Hope Club is part of a Buena Park service organization of the same name.

The TCHS Giving Children Hope Club received wishlists from two children named Alondra and Angel. Alondra received a magic playset from the club and Angel got Destiny 2, a PlayStation 4 game.

The group raised 50 dollars through a Quickly fundraiser to pay for the gift on their wishlists. After buying them, they directly donated the items to the program for the children to enjoy.

“Helping your community benefits a lot of people and can make you feel good about it afterwards,” Giving Children Hope Club President Junior Kaitlynn Ma said. “It’s your job to give back, especially to children.”

As gift-giving is a major part of holiday activities, Kare4Kids has decided to take part in Operation Christmas Child once again. While the club has participated in this event last year, this is the first time they were a part of the gift-wrapping process.

With the help of Arcadia’s Kare4Kids club, club members bought gifts from Target and wrapped the items in shoeboxes on Dec. 1. In total, both clubs created more than 10 presents.

Members delivered the wrapped gifts, including stuffed animals, toy cars and books, to multiple churches in Arcadia, who shipped them internationally.

“The activity was very meaningful because I had the opportunity to give back for the day of Christmas,” Kare4Kids Co-President Senior Sharon Wu said. “Even if it was to someone I don’t know, I’m honored to be able to bring someone joy.”