WAUPUN — A group of 7th grade boys from Waupun Jr High participated in the Waupun Holiday Help program Friday evening by purchasing over $900 in gifts for less fortunate children.
The Waupun Holiday Help program is a community outreach program that assists families in the community during the Christmas season, including getting gifts for families of children who would otherwise be unable to afford them.
The participating boys play on the Waupun 13U travel baseball team as well as the Waupun 13U travel Hoopsters basketball team.
“Their community has supported them through numerous fundraisers, and they want to give back to their great community,” said Lissa Stelsel, who organized the program. “This group of boys play together, hang out together and even pray together. For the second year, they have supported the Waupun Holiday Help Program by shopping for children in our community that are not as fortunate as them.”
According to Stelsel, the group has doubled in size since they began helping the program last year. This year, the boys will help three different families, a total of 11 kids in the Waupun community.
“These young men understand what it is to be blessed, and they want to be a blessing to others,” Stelsel said. “As mothers, we want to teach our sons selflessness, in a society where selfishness seems to overcome many. To SEE people, to SEE a need and act on it. Not just during the holiday season, but 365 days a year.”
They went shopping immediately after basketball practice Friday evening, with over $900 in total purchases between three families and eleven kids.
“I think it’s really great that we’re giving back to people in need, and we’re giving them a really special Christmas,” said Adler Roets, one of the participating students.
These sentiments were echoed by other participating students, Red Derkson, who said “I’m also very glad we’re able to do this and have this opportunity, and I’m really excited to do it,” and Trey Scott, who said, “I feel great doing it because we’re helping people that can’t afford these things.”
The 14 students were very excited to be part of the program.
Last year the Waupun Holiday Help program served 82 families with children under 16 years old. Other members of the community interested in helping the program can contact the organization at waupunholidayhelp@gmail.com before November 20th, with a deadline on wrapped gifts set for December 8th.
