EHS raises more than $5,000 for Toys for Teens

EPHRATA - For more than 10 years, Ephrata High School has held an annual Toys for Teens drive to benefit local teenagers in the Ephrata area.

“The kids raise the money (themselves),” said junior class Associated Student Body advisor Michelle Derr. “It’s all on them.”

For one week, the EHS holds class competitions to see who can raise the most money which will then be spent on buying gifts for the teens that have been referred to them by local organizations.

Derr said classes get creative in raising the money – from searching the parking lot for change to selling hot chocolate or cookies to other students.

This year the group was given 107 teens to shop for - 16 from foster care and 91 referred by the food bank. The teens range in age from 13 to 18.

Derr said the school raised slightly more than $5,000 for the shopping trip. Once the money was raised, 16 ASB officers and three advisors were taken by bus to the Ephrata Walmart on Monday. The students split the total number of teens to shop for and took off to find things they thought the teens would like. The students were given a $40-50 limit per teen to spend.

Jada Addink and Sheila Massey, ASB advisors, were present with Derr to support the students as they shopped and facilitate the purchase of the gifts.

Some students were given more specific information about the person they were shopping for such as age, gender, size, interests and needs, while others were given only age and gender.

“It (has) made a huge difference (to the kids receiving the gifts) and it makes a difference in the kids who get to come out here and shop,” Derr said.

Derr said the annual event also allows students to learn not only about the difficulties others may face but also about financial responsibility to stay within their limits, all while having fun.

“Then these kids get to go spend it,” said Derr. “And they’re very frugal and conscious of where all this money goes.”

After the gifts are purchased, they are taken back to the school where they are organized and wrapped before being given to the appropriate organization which will give them to the receiving teens.

“Just being able to know that you’re helping someone out who’s not as fortunate as we are,” freshman Cecilia Roth said is her favorite part about the experience.

Senior Zachary Reyes said he was really grateful to be able to be a part of the experience because he could relate to those that are receiving the gifts and appreciates being able to see the other side of it.

“My favorite part about it was helping out people because I knew how it felt,” Reyes said. “When I was really young we didn’t have a lot of money either so it was really a struggle trying to get Christmas gifts so I really liked helping out because we got to help other kids that didn't have money as well.”

He said he feels that a lot of people may not fully understand the struggle of not being able to afford Christmas gifts if they have not been in that situation themselves, and encourages others to think about how other people may be feeling in that kind of a situation.

Derr was very impressed with the effort of their school to raise so much money in such a short time.

“It’s amazing and awesome to see our school of 920-plus kids raised $5,000 in five days, I mean that's crazy,” said Derr. “Everybody gives what they can, and look what it turns into.”

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.