Christmas party brings hope
By Adrian Kendrick
Feature Editor
Stephanie Garcia, 6, an adorable girl with dimples and long, straight hair is shy and respectful. Donzell Walker, 8, a boy with a short hair cut and thick eyebrows is focused and excited when he talks. Ra’Leisha Davis, 10, is a beautiful girl with light-brown skin; she always wears her hair in a ponytail. She is a leader and extremely helpful.
These children are the reason that week after week, the University of Indianapolis volunteers return to the Laurelwood Housing Project.
Suzanne Stocky, volunteer coordinator at Laurelwood Housing Project, and other volunteers at UIndy helped throw a Christmas party for these and other underprivileged children.
According to Stocky, she wants to help the children, and give them a better life.
“It was fun. The kids were shocked that we [the volunteers] were able to get all the gifts in before they came home,” said Stocky.
Laurelwood Housing Project is located on Carson Avenue. It is a low- income community, about 500 families live living below poverty level. The kids, according to Toni Peabody, the retired field coordinator of 12 years, range from ages six to 15.
“Laurelwood is one of the longest partnerships UIndy has ever had,” Peabody said.
The Christmas party was held on Tuesday, Nov. 27, and 45 children attended.
According to Stocky, the volunteers put green Christmas trees on the boys’ gifts and red snowmen on the girls’ gifts. Each gift also had a riddle on it, and if the child guessed the riddle and was correct, he or she was able to pick a gift they wanted.
“I was one of those maniacs at Kohl’s at 4 a.m. on Black Friday,” Stocky said. “I was in line for an hour, but it was well worth it.”
Stocky also went to other stores.
Ranging from footballs to dolls, each gift cost $20. The party included pizza, soda, goodie bags and games.
“These kids are looking for a break from their situations,” said volunteer freshman Tim Coxey. “Suzanne cares about the kids and understands their situation. The Christmas party was an exciting night.”
When the children receive something they have never had before, they are shocked, Stocky said.
“I came from a middle-class family, and my father was a good provider,” Stocky said. “Seeing kids who don’t have a jacket when it is cold out, and you know they are not getting anything for Christmas, it touches your heart.”
According to Community Partnership and Service Coordinator Marianna Foulkrod, they [the volunteers] see how rewarding the experience is in the children’s eyes.
“This program is phenomenal. It makes me happy that we are doing something positive in the community,” Foulkrod said. “It is priceless.”
Stocky said she hopes the program shows the kids there is more to life than their situation and that there are people out there who care.
“Their faces are what I love,” she said. “That is what makes volunteering special for me.”
