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December 15, 2009
Judy Wu
During the season of giving, families, friends and even strangers come together to help the less fortunate. People remember to appreciate the things they have that others don’t. The holidays are a time for celebration and high spirits.
“When people are celebrating, there is less work being done, and people are going on vacation.,” senior Alex Gilham, public relations officer of Interact Club, said. “Therefore they have fewer things to worry about and can focus less on themselves and focus more on others.”
There are a lot of other reasons why people help out more during the holidays.
“Helping others during the holidays becomes a tradition for many families, and they just continue this tradition every year,” senior Hnin Ookhin, vice president of Key Club, said.
Every December, members of Interact Club participate in an event called “Caroling for Clothes.” Interact club gathers together with the divisions of other local schools to sing Christmas carols around a neighborhood while asking for clothing donations. This year this event was held in the Irvington District Dec. 11.
Key Club is also caroling. They are caroling to raise money for the Children’s Hospital and Research Center of Oakland. This event is going to be held on Dec. 18 in the Niles District.
This month, Corpus Christi Church, in Niles, is working along with Abode Services (formerly Tri-City Homeless Coalition) to provide shelter for homeless families with children. They are housing the families inside the church classrooms. About 100 volunteers are working to help provide meals and transportation for these families. Many of these families are overflowing from a main homeless shelter in southern Fremont.
“If we don’t help these families, who will? What comes around goes back around, so it’s the least that I can do for them,” religious education director Lucy Soltau said.
Helping others tends to give people a sense of accomplishment and gratification.
“I love to see the smiles of the people I help because they make me happy,” Ookhin said.
Helping out the community is something that everyone should do.
“I don’t wish to just take but also to give. I think it should always be the season of giving because I believe many people will be more appreciative and thankful for what they have. I think that many people take the things they have in life for granted.” Gilham said.
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