The Tau Gamma service club at Oak Park and River Forest High School has a reputation of giving back to the community. Next month, the giving will be in the form of holiday presents. Students in Tau Gamma will be loading presents onto a big yellow school bus and sending them to United Lutheran Church of Oak Park, at 409 Greenfield, for delivery to community members in need.
The service club, which this year has 130 members, participates in volunteer work, such as tutoring at local schools, and in fundraising for the Animal Care League and Hephzibah Children’s Association. In their work with the Holiday Food and Gift Basket program, Tau Gamma members involve everyone at OPRF, from students to faculty and staff.
Becky Mitrovick, a senior and president of Tau Gamma, has been taking part in the program since she was a freshman. “It’s a great way to bond,” she said, explaining the process of helping five or six families as teamwork among the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors in Tau Gamma. For each class, one club member coordinates the collections.
“I think the kids are the most fun to shop for, because you’ll find them things that aren’t on their list,” Mitrovick said. “But you want to get them anyways because it’s so much fun.”
OPRF High School has been sponsoring families through Holiday Food and Gift Basket for 15 years. Betsy Farley, French teacher and faculty adviser for Tau Gamma, said the amount of involvement from the students is overwhelming.
“Every year I am surprised and pleased with the turnout,” Farley said. “The classes one year at the last minute pushed each other to give as much as they could. They really got into it.”
The secretary for the director of communications coordinates the high school’s participation in the program. Linda Hayes, serving in that position the last three years, said the foundation of the program, the giving, is the most appealing part of the program.
“It’s what they enjoy the most,” Hayes said. “I do know that they try very hard to give them what they ask for and I do know that they go above and beyond.” According to Hayes, the school gets cards of appreciation from those who were sponsored.
“The thank yous are very heartfelt,” she said. “It’s an encouragement for ‘I’ll do it again next year.'”
Hayes and her fellow business office staff members sponsor a family of about the same size as the office, so the shopping is one for one.
Pam Jansen, administrative assistant in the business office, said she is amazed by the necessities parents ask for. “It really hits us when a mom is asking for sheets or pots and pans,” Jansen said. “She isn’t thinking of herself. They really need some things.”
Jansen said she noticed that trend last year more than any other, when mothers were asking for sheets and blankets.
Jansen described her holiday program shopping routine as going out the day after Thanksgiving to shop for some pajamas for kids and a toy. In addition, the office will pick up tins of popcorn and treats for the family being sponsored.
“This is to give someone a holiday experience and joy,” Jansen said, about the impact of the program. “And the gift giving makes me feel good.”
To learn more about sponsoring an individual or family, contact the Holiday Food and Gift Basket at holidaybasket@hotmail.com or 708-771-6159 x244 (ring seven times for voice mail if nobody is in the office).