During the holiday season everyone seems to be willing to lend a helpinghand to others in need, and every year more and more students volunteer their time to doing charity work.

“The turn out of students willing to dedicate their time to charity work is really good. When I first started this program I had about 30 members, but now it has risen to 300,” Gina Girotti, Greater Philadelphia Partnership adviser said.

There are many charity events being held now, especially since it is around the holiday season. One event held on Dec. 5, 2000 was a blood drive sponsored by the National Honor Society. Many students donated their blood willingly and were rewarded with refreshments and cookies.

Another charity event on Dec. 17, 2000 is a trip where members of Greater Philadelphia visit St. Edmunds Home for Children, Rosemont, Pa., and it is their third year going.

“The trip to the children’s home was such a memorable experience,” junior Laura Mayo said. “Jason Delp dressed up as Santa Claus and just to see those children’s faces light up was one of the most amazing, rewarding experiences I have ever had, I can’t even explain it in words.”

Another club similar to Greater Philadelphia is called Interact. Holding to its name, Interact is designed to help out the people of out community through human contact.

Around the holidays students go to a local food store, purchase the things on their assigned grocery lists, and bring them to separate families all in the district.

There are two different toy drives going on this year. The first is Toys for Tots, run by the student forum. The student forum is comprised of student leaders from students in Lower Bucks County. The second toy drive is being held by Greater Philadelphia.

Along with these programs there is a charity program with which senior Leah Conley and other National Honor Society members volunteer. The program is called N.G.A, formerly known as the Needlework Guild of America, is a national organization that provides new clothes to needy people. Michael Hoy is the N.G.A advisor at our school.

Last year their establishment raised over $7.5 million for people who were in need of clothing, including flood and fire victims

Recently students volunteered to serve a Thanksgiving dinner to the elderly and less fortunate at the Masonic hall located in Fairless Hills. There was a great turn out, much more than last year, and everyone left satisfied. Girotti remembers one special moment where a man who was being hleped by senior Cheryl matthes, kissed her on the cheek.

"For that moment Cheryl was the most important thing in the world to him, and he wanted to make her feel special too.," she said. "The human contact is neccessary and whether or not they act appreciative, youi can make them feel loved, and imporant."

If students are looking for a placfe to volunteer this holiday season, or any time of the year for that matter, a good way to start is by contacting you local Red Cross, and they will have options such as camps or reading programs.

The Lower Bucks County chpater of the Red Cross is located at 1909 New Rodges Road Levittown, Pa. 19056. To learn more about way to voluteer through the Red Cross, the web site is http://www.recrosslbcc.org. Or you can call them at (215)946-4870.

A program called Habitat for Humanitiess is also available for teens who want to hlep build homes for poor people in local communitities. If you wish to join this program it is easily accessible on the Internet at http://www.habitat.org.

Whether you volunteer because it makes you feel good, or because it will make you high school transript look a whole lot better to colleges, voluteering is still worthwhile and neccessary.

"Seriously, I believe a lot of people who sign up to volunteer are people who are desperate to fluff up their transcripts." junior Laura Mayo stated. "But don't get me wrong, the students who do care make a gigantic dent in the problems that are worng with out area."

However, most students who volunterr have a sensitivity and guenuine concern for the welfare of others. "I think students are willing to volunteer because when you have actual human contact you get such a rush that you want to do more for that cause, and you leave with a big smile on your face,." senior Brooke Rashkow said.