The wreaths are up in Schar, the snow is starting to fall, and Community Care is starting to unfold the Christmas volunteer projects. This year is a special season for giving, and the Ashland chapter of Community Care is treating it as such.

These events have been ta radition at Ashland and are genuinely good causes. According to Community Care intern Ashley Christman, the Angel Tree has been a Christmas project on campus since 2003, averaging about 100 children per year and Adopt-a-Family has been on campus since 2005, averaging 50 children per year. It is one of the biggest projects that Community Care undertakes.

“Both the Angel Tree program through Salvation Army and Adopt-a-Family through Associated Charities benefit children in the community who are in need. These families aren’t just anyone, the two non-profit organizations make sure the children receiving the gifts are truly in need,” said Christman.

If you cannot wait to help out any longer, the season of giving can start now. The Angel Tree and Adopt-a-Family programs started at the beginning of November.

Unfortunately, because a majority of students are gone during winter break, limited student participation takes place during the holiday season. According to Christman, however, there is a group of volunteers planning to serve dinner on Thanksgiving.

There are six teams in Community Care, so there are a number of opportunities to volunteer. There is also a weekly newsletter sent out on Mondays.

The easiest way to participate in volunteering is to get an organization that you are a part of to work together to complete a task.

The Habitat for Humanity team is also having awareness events with a holiday twist that are less expensive than their normal events.

If students are unable to convince their peers to co-sponsor Angel Tree or Adopt-a-Family, the Habitat House Challenge is a project in which benefits the Richland Country Habitat for Humanity. Participants registered before Nov. 18 receive a cardboard house which they are asked to decorate with a theme, such as “home for the holidays”, and then return to the Student Life Office. The week after Thanksgiving, the houses are displayed and voted upon via change donation in the Student Center.

“It is important for everyone to give back,” Christman said, “but especially for the Ashland University community to give back. From Ashland University’s mission statement, we know that ‘Ashland University educates and challenges to…prepare for…working as citizens aware of their global responsibilities.'”

So, with Christmas and all of its great experiences fast approaching, such as hot chocolate, warm fire places, and Christmas trees, remember that you can make these things possible for someone else as well. By volunteering with Community Care, you can help make another family’s Christmas as merry as your own.