March 29, 2024

CCSD continues Presents for People We Care About

The hallways of Creston Community Elementary/Middle School and Early Childhood Center will be filled with holiday cheer next week.

Guidance Counselor Jane Shantz has been busy amassing a collection of items from which students will sift through to find the perfect Christmas gifts for family members.

Presents for People We Care About began about 14 years ago, according to Shantz.

“I was having conversations with kids and they were talking about all the gifts they were going to get,” Shantz said. “I asked what are they giving their families? That was a foreign concept to them.”

As a result, Shantz collected small gifts from staff members for students to choose from.

Gifts in those early years were often small and sometimes not in the best of shape, such as a little candle that was already halfway burnt.

But, the students loved the idea of being able to go shopping for their family members.

Now, Shantz reaches out to members of the community to donate items toward the supply.

She began collecting for this year’s shopping sessions in mid-October.

“You just can’t believe all the people here all day long just coming in and saying ‘I have presents,’” Shantz said. “The response [from the community] is so wonderful. Every year, I swear, more and more people come. Some people even go out after Christmas and get clearance things that are brand new and plan and bring it for the next year.”

Next week, students will have 45 minutes to look through all the items and pick something out for a family member. Students can shop for two to three people and then, if there is enough time at the end, can go back to shop for more.

All of the items are free to the students. The only rule for the students is they must be shopping for someone else.

“Sometimes we have to say, ‘Are you sure your grandma wants that stuffed animal or toy,’ and they go back and try again,” Shantz said. “The whole thing is they have to be shopping for someone they care about.”

Items include numerous Christmas decorations, wall hangings and jewelry. Shantz said over the past few years, she’s pushed for more donations that could be given to men. Those items have included flashlights, ice scrapers and Hawkeye and NASCAR branded items.

Donations are always accepted, as Shantz can store items for next year if they are donated late.

“They’re so excited,” Shantz said. “They come in and they’re just shaking they’re so excited. They’re just running around, ‘Oh, my grandma would love this!’ They love being able to wrap. The ECC does it, too. They shop and they put them in bags with the volunteers. When they get to first grade, they get to wrap their own [gifts] and they love that.”

Shantz said volunteers are always welcome to assist students in the shopping process.

“It gets hectic. It’s really helpful to have outside community members come help,” she said.

Students will be shopping from 8:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Items include numerous Christmas decorations, wall hangings and jewelry. Shantz said over the past few years, she’s pushed for more donations that could be given to men. Those items have included flashlights, ice scrapers and Hawkeye and NASCAR branded items.

Donations are always accepted, as Shantz can store items for next year if they are donated late.

“They’re so excited,” Shantz said. “They come in and they’re just shaking they’re so excited. They’re just running around, ‘Oh, my grandma would love this!’ They love being able to wrap. The ECC does it, too. They shop and they put them in bags with the volunteers. When they get to first grade, they get to wrap their own [gifts] and they love that.”

Shantz said volunteers are always welcome to assist students in the shopping process.

“It gets hectic. It’s really helpful to have outside community members come help,” she said.

Students will be shopping from 8:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday.