#christmas

Operation Santa Claus 

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

By: Quinn Isenberg 

It is important especially during the holiday season to help the community.  

This season the Student Council Association (SCA) at GS did their part by participating in Operation Santa Claus.  

Operation Santa Claus is a collaborative effort by Shop ‘n Save, Trib Total Media and the Salvation Army that aims to feed holiday meals to needy families across Western Pennsylvania. 

Members of SCA pose for a group picture after helping the Salvation Army

load food into trucks.

Photo Courtesy: Ella Helman

“This year we served 2,500 families through 24 Salvation Army units across eight counties,” director of marketing at Trib Total Media Ms. Lindsay Bock said.  

This is accomplished every year with the help of incredible volunteers. For the last 10 years members of SCA have given up their time to this cause.  

“This gives back to local families, so having a chance to do that during a tough time of the year is a good opportunity for the kids,” SCA Advisor Mr. Christopher Gazze said.  

This year was no different as SCA members went to help get the food out to those in need.  

“While we were there, we took pallets of food, boxes and cans and loaded them onto different trucks that got shipped to places around town,” SCA communications liaison Julie Elias said.  

Members of SCA were more than happy to spend their time doing this volunteer work.  

“It was very fulfilling to be able to help members of the community who are less fortunate,” SCA President Rocco Himes said.  

Many students are familiar with the benefits of volunteering, but not many think about volunteering as an opportunity to learn. Experiences like this can help those giving their time learn more about themselves and the community they are serving.  

“It opened my eyes to the number of families who need a little extra help and are lucky enough to have programs like this one,” Elias said.  

The program was praised by the volunteers as an all-around excellent experience.  

“As a whole I think Operation Santa Claus is an amazing thing that not only brings volunteers together but also helps out families who need food in these times,” she said. “I think it is an amazing program.”  

While Operation Santa Claus has come to an end, there are still many more opportunities to help the community. SCA will continue to lend a hand by volunteering throughout the school year.  

“It’s good to help people out and I take pride in that,” Himes said.  

The Giving Tree

Posted on by gshslionsdenadmin

by: Emma Helmick 

As the holiday season approaches, many families become excited, but sometimes forget about those who are less fortunate than them.  

Holidays can be a stressful time for some families who are struggling. GS attempts to help them through The Giving Tree. According to Guidance Counselor Mrs. Laura Klipa, about 46% of families from the High School currently do not have enough financial support to spend their extra money buying their children Christmas presents. 

In an effort to help, the District donates money and supplies to families in need. 

Some of the gifts that were donated by the community so far.

Photo by: Emma Helmick

The Giving Tree began at the school in 2007 by Mrs. Klipa when she started at the High School. 

“All of the Elementary schools and Middle School had one and I noticed the need for older siblings to get help,” Klipa said. 

One of their main events is shopping for individual kids. Advisory classes can go to the library and take a tag off the tree, but students and teachers can also do it on their own.  

“I think it’s one of the nicest things that we do in the building, I’m a big fan, I support it and I’m happy to sell things here in the library,” Librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. 

On the tag there is a kid from the school and the person who has that tag will get a list of things and the student’s size and age that way they can shop for them.  

“The people who come down to take the tags are a big deal because those are specific kids who need things and their families have called to say that they have a need,” Mrs. Vottero said. “It’s nice for kids to take them on because it becomes much more personal choosing things for an actual person.” 

Interested families can call the schools to request help for their children. The Giving Tree wants to provide families with things like presents and holiday meals. 

“I think it’s a really great thing that helps the community,” junior Emily Ruggieri said. “That helps everyone become a bit more connected because when you feel like you’ve done a good thing for someone else, you know you become a more open person. I think that’s good for us as a whole as a society.” 

Examples of the families in need were listed in the letter sent out to the GS community. That consists of homeless families living in shelters, sick and disabled parents unable to work to provide for their families, families who have had financial hardship due to needs of handicap or special needs children, students with parents working two or more jobs still unable to meet the financial demands of their family, students who work daily to contribute to their family basics like food, shelter, clothing and students with parents who are seriously mentally ill and unable to maintain employment. 

That’s not the only way GS helps with The Giving Tree, though, people can also donate to it in many ways from just going to events or buying a sweet treat.

The Giving Tree located in the library with tags still available.

Photo by: Rubee Stillwagon

The library sells chocolate covered pretzels that Mrs. Kelley Audia and her advisory class make. All of the profits go to The Giving Tree. There have also been events that donate to The Giving Tree such as the Powderpuff Game. 

“I think kids are happy to support it because it can make them feel better about what they’re buying, knowing it is going to their own people and it helps our community,” Vottero said. 

Chocolate covered pretzels will most likely continue to be sold in the library for the rest of the year. After covering the ingredients it takes to make them, all of the profit goes to the families in need. 

“Any time someone has spare change in their pocket, I don’t care if it’s a dime, I think it’s a great thing to support,” Vottero said. 

Donations can be sent to the Greensburg Salem HS Guidance Office-65 Mennel Dr. Greensburg, PA 15601.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Contact us at: 724-832-2970 or laura.klipa@gslions.net