Character education is an important part of the fabric at Ellsworth High School and that tradition continues with the annual Gift Box Program.

Spearheaded this year by seniors Josie Pechacek and Morgan Kolodzienski and juniors Carolyn Trannel and Arianna Starbuck, their planning and organizing is in full swing. Last year the program provided Christmas gifts to more than 80 families in the Ellsworth Community School District.

“The past couple of days, I’ve been calling people and telling them that they’ve been sponsored,” said Starbuck. “I like making people happy. When they answer the phone, it makes me happy. I like making someone’s day.”

Trannel has been busy organizing families and sponsors in the group’s database, while Kolodzienski and Pechacek have been teaching the newcomers what to do. Everyone has their strengths.

“I hate doing the phone calls, but I do everything else,” Pechacek said.

Program supervisor and EHS social studies teacher/service learning coordinator Anne Pechacek admits organizing the program is a big job. The school district took it over from C3 Church in 2014; the program has been in existence for roughly 30 years, in one form or another, she said.

“Adult volunteers help as well, with getting in touch with churches and getting information out to people,” Anne Pechacek said.

The Pierce County Gift Box program at one time served 180 families county-wide. Now each community/school district has their own programs, such as Sharing Families in River Falls and an adopt a family initiative in Prescott.

The deadline to apply to receive assistance with gifts was last week; families who apply going forward will be put on a waiting list.

“We still have 35 families that need to be adopted,” Anne Pechacek said.

The group uses monetary donations to shop for presents for each family, which are then gift-wrapped for pick up.

“I love wrapping presents,” Trannel said.

Families are invited to apply for the program each August when the school district send out the free and reduced lunch applications to each district household. The application includes a wish list where people can specify wants, needs, clothing sizes, etc. The program had 20 applicants before school event started, Anne Pechacek said.

“We do verify that they do live in the district or have kids who attend Ellsworth,” Pechacek said.

Families will be able to pick up their gifts Dec. 11-12 at Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services, who have generously donated space again this year.

“Last year was really exciting because they (the gifts) had been sitting in the room for so long (before pickup day),” Josie Pechacek said. “I thought, I wonder how these people are going to react to getting everything they asked for.’ It was amazing to see people getting everything they asked for.”

Many applicants ask for nothing themselves, but for their children, Anne Pechacek added.

“They just want Christmas to be good for their kids,” she said.

Starbuck said she didn’t know about the program until Anne Pechacek asked her if she’d like to volunteer.

“I like helping people in general, so it makes me excited to do it,” she said.

Trannel also enjoys helping others and is excited to shop for the kids.

“One of my close friends did it last year and she had a lot of fun,” Trannel said. “Helping all these families get gifts for Christmas is really nice.”

“Giving the gifts when people come to pick them up is my favorite part,” Kolodzienski said. “Because you get to see the joy all over their faces.”

Anne Pechacek said she chooses student volunteers who are responsible, discreet and organized.

For those wishing to donate, you can drop off monetary donations at any school district building, mail it to PO Box 1500, Attn. Ellsworth Gift Box Program, Ellsworth WI 54011 or work with the Ellsworth Community School District Foundation in order for the donation to be tax-exempt. Monetary donations are preferred so students can shop for specific items on families’ wish lists.