Millersport's White Christmas
Story & Photo by Scott Rawdon

Millersport High School seniors Cecilia Knox (left) and Brandi Colley sit among a roomful of toys, gifts, and food items collected as part of the Walnut Township School District's 37th annual White Christmas program.

MILLERSPORT- The Walnut Township School District is doing more than dreaming of a white Christmas. This year marked its 37th annual White Christmas project for the benefit of the Millersport community. Each year hundreds ofdollars received in donations are used to buy food (including hams and turkeys) and gifts to help some community families, and fruit baskets send holiday cheer to many community senior citizens.

This year, the student council, National Honor Society, German Club, and members of the Class of 2008 joined forces to make this White Christmas program truly a special event.

Last year in particular the program had difficultycollecting donated gifts suitable for teenagers. This year, Millersport High School seniors Cecilia Knox and Brandi Colley took charge of the situation and collected donations from teachers specifically for teenage gifts. They raised $860--a dramatic increase from last year's total of about $200. In return, Knox and Colley (with a little help from their parents) baked nearly 1,000 cookies to show appreciation toward those teachers who donated to the cause. It took them hours to buy all the gifts and two days to bake all the cookies, they said. Otherwise, Millersport students donated hundreds of toys for younger children. "It's amazing to see how much the kids really care," said Colley.

Millersport High School English teacher Gretchen Schroeder said the Walnut Township high and elementary schools sponsored a food drive. The senior class created fruit and candy baskets for senior citizens, and members of the Millersport Lion's Club delivered food and gifts throughout the community. Schroeder said the National Honor Society and members of student council worked together to package much of the donated food and members of the German club wrapped gifts. "Everyone is involved in some way," she said.