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Warren High students collect gifts for Chicago kids

Gurnee students organize gift giving campaign for needy kids

Similar to other students at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, senior Julia Dennen said she comes away humbled when volunteering for the annual Letters to Santa campaign.

Letters to Santa is a longtime Warren District 121 effort that will conclude today with a presentation of this year's gifts to Chicago Public Schools representatives. Direct Effect Charities forwards to Warren the letters containing Christmas gift wishes from less fortunate children at a Chicago school.

Dennen, in her fourth year as a Letters to Santa volunteer, said she has seen many modest requests. She and other students placed the gifts in large plastic bags during a lunchtime break Thursday at Warren's Almond Road campus for juniors and seniors.

“It's very humbling,” said Dennen, a student council and National Honor Society member. “My first year, a boy wanted a scarf with butterflies for his mom. And I'll never forget that. There are kids who want things like Bibles for their parents or just sweatshirts because they're cold, or gloves that they'll share with their sister, they promise.”

As festive holiday music played in the background in a room where the students worked on the bagging, Katie Belles said she's helped to buy the gifts since she was a freshman.

“It reminds you of what Christmas is about, about helping others, and remembering that maybe you don't need that new iPhone or something just to be happy,” said Belles, a senior who also is with the National Honor Society and student council.

Recipients of this year's gifts from Warren will be 1,300 children in prekindergarten through eighth grade at Frank W. Reilly Elementary School in Chicago. The school serves students in the Logan Square and Avondale neighborhoods.

About $32,000 in gifts are expected to be given to the Reilly Elementary students. Direct Effect Charities assists at Chicago schools with a poverty rate of 85 percent or higher.

Warren has a $25 limit per gift. Some classes pooled money for the gifts, while other donations were from individual students, District 121 employees and the community at large.

National Honor Society and student council members coordinate the program. Wrapped gifts were collected and organized this week.

Merissa Mercil, a social studies teacher and student council sponsor, said the gifts typically include Legos and mittens for younger children and technology-related items for older students.

“I'd say between 15 and 20 years we've been doing it,” Mercil said, “and because of how much of an impact it has on the school and the community — and just how much it teaches kids about responsibility and accountability, as well as just charity and doing good things for other people — I see this continuing for years to come, for sure.”

  Warren Township High School senior Julia Dennen said she's humbled by the modest gift requests she sees from less fortunate children when she volunteers for the Letters to Santa program. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
  Warren Township High School senior Katie Belles said she's reminded the Christmas season is about helping others when she participates in the Letters to Santa campaign. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
  Dana Lainio, a student council sponsor and math instructor at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, helps organize presents donated by teenagers, employees and community members for the Letters to Santa program. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Merissa Mercil, a student council sponsor and social studies teacher at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, discusses the Letters to Santa campaign Thursday while students bagged gifts. Bob Susnjara/bsusnjara@dailyherald.com
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