Giving tree, oh giving tree

The dining area located underneath McMahon Hall is devoid of festive holiday decorations at this time of year, save for a few poinsettias scattered near the cash registers and a small Christmas tree no taller than two feet.

The tiny tree, located near the counter of Mongolian Grill, was put up Nov. 17, the kick-off day for the 18th annual Halls Addressing the Needs of a Deserving Society (HANDS) program that benefits underprivileged children by giving them an opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas time.

The tree is sheathed in tiny twinkling lights that cast a speckled glow over the small square cards that ornament it. On each card, decorated with a pair of hands holding a small olive branch, is a wish made by an underprivileged youth or teenager.

The messages are simple: "A youth would like glitter pens and glitter glue," one card read. Next to the tree is a flier encouraging students to "share your abundance."

The tree and flier are a message from HANDS. The message appears in the same form in the HUB, the Ethnic Cultural Center and information desks in the residence halls.

Students are instructed to pluck a card-ornament from the tree, buy the gift written on the card and return it unwrapped to a residence-hall information desk. The gifts will be picked up and distributed to children at Children's Hospital and Neighborhood House, which provides family and social services to the community.

The goal this year, said HANDS member Josh Furman, is to gather 1,000 gifts for needy children in the Puget Sound area. Along with the Residence Hall Student Association, HANDS is also sponsoring a clothing and food drive.

The Giving Tree is a tradition as old as many college students. In the 18 years that it has been a staple for HANDS, the group has collected an estimated 10,000 gifts for children and teenagers in need.

The program was the brainchild of Jeannine Reagan, a former resident director in McMahon Hall. Reagan's program has mushroomed since its commencement in 1985, said Michelle Murray, McMahon's resident director. Murray has coordinated the program for the past three years.

"The program has helped us foster a special relationship with Neighborhood House," said Murray, "which continues to this day."

All the books collected this year will go to Neighborhood House for use during its after-school programs.

According to Murray, Reagan's program was the first in a trend that caught the attention of organizations such as Nordstrom, which has since instituted its own Giving Tree variations.

Murray works with resident advisers in the dorms and HANDS volunteers to publicize the event among their peers.

"[HANDS members] are very active in the nuts and bolts of the program," said Murray. "This is one of the many activities that they are involved with."

HANDS works to provide people living in the residence halls with community-service and volunteer opportunities.

"We have a lot of resources, like the food bank," commented HANDS President Shelly Frederickson. "There are a lot of opportunities, but we cater to what the people in the group want to do."

Throughout the year, HANDS sponsors a number of events, including a Martin Luther King Day service and the Jingle Bell Run.

"We try and do group projects, usually on a bigger scale," Frederickson said.

Although the toys and gifts are collected during a season when people tend to think about giving to the less fortunate, the items will be distributed throughout the year, said Murray.

"Some gifts are given to children at the hospital after they go through painful procedures," she added.

Murray felt confident that this year's 1,000-gift goal would be met.

"We've gotten tremendous response from the University community," she said. "We're so pleased with the results -- it will make a big difference in the lives of many children."