Sharing the spirit
Fraternity, sorority team up to give gifts
By Joey Berlin
Friday, December 7, 2007
Presents, food, a Christmas movie and Santa. For about 25 kids who don’t normally have a lot at Christmastime, Thursday night brought a welcome hour of toys, laughs and fun.
Emporia State’s Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority team up every year to put together a special night for children whose parents aren’t able to give their children everything they might want for Christmas.
This year’s gathering at the Sigma Tau Gamma house, 1309 Sylvan St., kicked off with cookies, punch and a big-screen showing of the movie “Elf” to set the background mood.
Scott Johnson, an ESU junior and one of the organizers for Sigma Tau Gamma, said the Alpha Sigmas obtain a list of children to invite from the Salvation Army. Members of both the fraternity and sorority go purchase the gifts.
“We’ve done it the past few years, and most of the guys really enjoy it,” Johnson said.
Ashley McCullough, a freshman and Alpha Sigma Alpha’s philanthropic officer, said plenty of work was involved in putting the night together, including multiple calls to the children’s parents. But she said it was worth it.
“They were really excited that their kids were invited,” she said.
The Alpha Sigmas brought the kids to the Sigma Tau house for the event, and fraternity brothers and sorority sisters mingled, laughed and sang Christmas songs with the kids until Santa made his big entrance.
Brandishing his trademark white beard and prodigious belly, the fat man got in his chair and immediately began dishing out the gift-wrapped loot. He took each child in his lap, asked what he or she wanted for Christmas, and gave them their presents, which they opened when they got back to their seats. A few children, however, particularly the older ones, declined to sit in Santa’s lap, choosing to stand to receive their gifts.
After his visit with Santa, Ricardo Morales, 9, suspected the St. Nick he had just met was a “phony.” But Ricardo did enjoy his gifts, which included Spider-Man walkie-talkies, Spider-Man playing cards and a football.
Makayla Jones, 7, was making her first visit to Santa and received Barbie accessories, including a gold purse, earrings and a new doll. Valerie Landeros, 6, immediately took a liking to her new Hannah Montana doll, mixing and matching the doll’s outfit accessories with the help of some Alpha Sigma sisters.
It was an exciting event for the children, but McCullough said the feeling was mutual with her sorority sisters as they prepared to help give the kids a special night for the holiday season.
“It’s kind of one of those heartwarming feelings,” she said.