Throughout the month leading up to Thanksgiving break, Student Council and the Rotary Club have been working together to make this Christmas special. An LT tradition for decades, the Secret Santa gift drive has returned once again. On Nov. 29, Student Council delivered over 100 different holiday gifts to children in the community that cannot afford their own presents and holiday tradition.

Student Council President Brandt Siegfried 18′ has been helping to organize the event and make it a success.

“It is my job to make sure that as a Student Council we select how many names we take, and then to publicize it so people purchase their gifts and turn them in on time,” Siegfried said.

Activities Director at LT along with the Student Council sponsor, Peter Geddeis, also helps to organize and inform the LT community on the fundraiser.

I work with Student Council and the co-sponsors, Frank Pierson and Kathryn Pieper, to market it and to coordinate the logistics,” Geddeis said. “I oversee the whole thing, but we work together as a team to pull it off.”

For Student Council, this fundraiser is a long process. This year, they have created a specific committee that will be coordinating all of the advertising, Siegfried said. They are looking toward reaching out to more clubs and community businesses so that they can meet their goal of adopting 170 kids, the most they have ever opted to take.

“It takes only $100 to buy a kid Christmas,” Siegfried said. “You get a slip of paper and a purchase sheet which has their name and gender with their interests to direct what gifts to buy. It is also expected that you buy something like winter clothing and school supplies so that they have a mix of things they can utilize and enjoy.”

Emails were sent out to the staff and flyers were prepared, along with several announcements made during the school day to spread awareness, Geddeis said. Word of mouth is a powerful form of marketing as well. A volunteer for Secret Santa since 2000, Alison Kelly, also sees the work that is put into the gift drive. These gifts are given to local children in need through the Rotary Club ran by members along with volunteers amongst the community.

“Student Council delivers to us (the volunteers) right after Thanksgiving,” Kelly said. “The Spanish Club also helps in the workshop with getting all bags ready for the specific families.   We then process the bags- making sure they are all set and we have a big giveaway week where the parents come pick them up in early December. ”

Overall, the effort put into Secret Santa is something that Student Council takes pride in doing.

“The Secret Santa is an example that Student Council does out of the kindness of their hearts,” Geddeis said. “It is not just a gift-wrapped present under the tree, it is potentially a life changing event.”