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Jackson Middle School makes Christmas cheer a mission

Jackson Middle School teachers Jeff Board, left, and Chasity McDonald, volunteer Kelly Guice, teacher Cherish George and principal Jeff Kisner helped unload donated items at Jackson Middle School on Wednesday. (Photo by Tyler Bennett)

VIENNA — To help the families of Jackson Middle School students who were unable to provide presents for the holidays, the school held an “Operation Christmas” where items were donated from the community on Wednesday afternoon.

Run by Jackson teachers Cherish George and Chasity McDonald and volunteer Kelly Guice, who is a mother of two students currently attending the school, they arranged Christmas donations for 21 students of families who were in need, including many of which are grandparents raising their grandchildren and unable to provide presents this year.

“Most of them are grandparents raising their grandkids. They’re retired and some of them have multiple grandkids that they’re raising. One, in particular, told me she couldn’t afford Christmas for these kids. So this was the only Christmas they were going to get,” George said. “I spoke to a grandmother raising her granddaughter, lost her job, can’t find a new job and they’ve been so depressed. They couldn’t even put up a Christmas tree this year. So when I called her yesterday to tell her that we would have her gifts ready on Friday, she broke down in tears and said that she would go home and put up a tree for her granddaughter. She was ecstatic.”

George said this operation had an overwhelming number of students in need and with COVID-19 making the holiday season tougher than in years past for the community, she was worried at first that no one would be able to help. However, she was surprised to find out there were more people in the community willing to help than kids who needed help.

“We were worried we wouldn’t get anyone helping this year because of everything going on. But we’ve had so many people wanting to help and it’s just amazing that these kids are going to have a Christmas.” George said.

Jackson Middle School teacher Jeff Board unloads a donated item at Jackson Middle School on Wednesday. (Photo by Tyler Bennett)

Donations included either a brand new coat or jacket, two tops and bottoms, a new pair of shoes, two wanted items, and a stocking full of goodies. They could also bring in a box of non-perishable food items as well. Each student would receive an equal amount of items to remain fair.

Some of the items requested from the kids were either new bedding for their bed or room decorations like LED lights.

Each item will come with a blank tag, meaning the donor will not be recognized and the family could say it was from them or from Santa.

“It’s absolutely a wonderful feeling to know that we played a part in helping these families get what they need for Christmas, whether it’s food, toothbrush, toothpaste, a jacket, warm bedding,” Guice said. “I’m just so pleased that we were able to help out so many different families of other Jackson Middle School students. The community just really came together to make this happen for these kids.”

Helping with the unloading process of the donations was the school’s principal, Jeff Kisner, and teacher Jeff Board.

Jackson Middle School teacher Cherish George unloads a donated item at Jackson Middle School on Wednesday. (Photo by Tyler Bennett)

“I’m just excited to get to help with the program. I’m excited that we got to provide for our families in need this year. It’s a blessing to have so many wonderful parents and community members who have adopted our students at Jackson Middle School,” McDonald said.

Contact Tyler Bennett at tbennett@newsandsentinel.com

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