The Giving Tree 2012 from EiStone on Vimeo.

Some people say that receiving is better than giving. Others say that giving is better than receiving. To give back to our community, Fossil Ridge High School has had a nine-year tradition of giving to families who are in need around the holidays.

The Giving Tree is an event that is sponsored by Key Club. The goal behind it is to give to families who may not have as much and to make their holiday special. Many of you might remember the event last year called Adopt-A-Family. Well, the Giving Tree is an extension of that, just with a different name.

Mrs. Campbell, Key Club’s advisor and FRHS counselor, said, “In the past with Adopt-A-Family, we’ve obviously adopted families, but this year just with feedback from teachers and students, we decided that we had to downsize it a little bit. So, instead of entire families, it’s just focused on the children.”

“Some families would get less than others and some families would have two kids as opposed to four,” said Abby Morse, co-head of the Giving Tree committee. “So, some kids and families would get a lot, and some would get nothing.”

So, how does Key Club pick less fortunate families? Where do they all come from? Who are we—as students—giving to?

“We work directly with Timnath Elementary and they identify families based on free and reduced lunch. So these are families who truly are struggling and are in an unfortunate financial position for the holidays,” said Campbell. “We’ve chosen other feeder schools in the past, but this year it just didn’t work out because there were so many at Timnath.”

The Giving Tree is just a good way to “give back to the community” according to Campbell. But she is not the only one who thinks that giving is better then receiving. Dr. Cook, principal at FRHS, also has a strong belief in providing for those in need.

“As Americans, we’re really, really blessed but not everyone has the same amount of material things. But when you take time to realize what you value, and if you could give a dime, or $10,000 of what you have to make the world a little bit better for someone else, I think the gratitude that comes into your life is really important,” said Dr. Cook.

Teachers as well as the administration and the students are thrilled about the idea that they are able to give to others as well.

Karen DeVries, choral director FRHS said, “I loved Adopt-A-Family. It is something that I treasure. And Giving Tree is equally as valuable. I appreciate the fact that we can give to people who really need things as opposed to wanting them.”

DeVries went on to comment on her advisory classes’ attitude and work into this project. She said, “I know that they all have busy schedules, but they are truly showing just how much they care by taking some time to buy gifts for these kids. They just have such big hearts.”

Erik Sanford, English teacher at FRHS, also talked about the Giving Tree. He said, “It’s not really any different as opposed to last year. One thing that I wish was different was if we had gotten the word out more. It would have helped with procrastination, especially in my class. But overall, the kids did a good job of giving to other children in need.”

“This event is really about helping each one of us understand, as much as we want things at the holidays or as much as we put ourselves in the focus, it’s really about others and what they need. And by giving just a little bit, we can make such a difference in providing hope in the lives of others,” Dr. Cook said. “It was never about seeing who could get the biggest and best presents or lets make everyone bring a ton of money, it’s really about everyone just saying, ‘if I gave a little, just a little, what could I do to help?’”

Just a little bit of kindness goes a long way. As Dr. Cook said, this event is indeed one that helps students embrace the spirit of giving. It feels good to give. And you do not need to receive anything in return, but maybe a thank you and a smile as big as a banana.

“If we just all join together and say it’s really about a spirit of hope, and compassion and caring, I think it just moves everyone forward,” Dr. Cook said.

Big hearts, passion and hope are key words that describe the spirit of the Giving Tree. This tradition has been kept alive for many years and will hopefully stay around for many more years to come.

To see how others are giving, check out familygivingtree.org/.