Students from Columbia Peer Leadership and Goff Student Council acted as elves on Friday morning as they volunteered at the CoNSERNS-U Christmas Store in Rensselaer. They donated toys, board games and other gifts, and then organized them on tables in the McManus Center gymnasium.
The Christmas Store will host low income families on Monday and Tuesday so they can pick out new items to give as gifts.
“Everyone deserves to wake up on Christmas and open a present,” said Columbia senior Marissa Hochberg.
The students, along with teacher chaperones, happily stacked games, hung clothes from hangers, and lined up bicycles.
The Goff students used $1,400 they earned from a pasta fundraiser to purchase gifts earlier in the morning. After arriving at the McManus Center, they stepped off the bus holding bags of soon-to-be presents.
Other schools from around East Greenbush Central School District have also donated gifts this month to CoNSERNS-U, a basic needs program of Catholic Charities that serves families and individuals in Southern and Rural Rensselaer County in New York.
The Goff students also volunteered at the Salvation Army in the afternoon, making holiday greeting cards for people who will be having Christmas dinner there.
“It’s a lot of fun to help people,” said 6th grader Seana Weerakoon. “I hope they’ll be really happy.”