CPTC Continues Holiday House Tradition of Giving
The holiday season can be a difficult time for low-income families, and that can especially be true for Clover Park Technical College students devoting valuable time and resources to their education in an effort to improve their long-term situation.
Because of this great need, CPTC has carried on a longstanding Holiday House tradition of “adopting” students’ families for the holiday season. Since the 1980s, CPTC faculty, staff, students and community members have generously provided food, toys and gifts to the families of students in need.
“Holiday House has been a tradition at the college for a number of years,” Holiday House Committee chair Debbie Collins said. “We know we are helping students by the expressions of joy, thanks and tears. As a volunteer, I’ve experienced mothers sobbing because they were overwhelmed by the generosity of our adopters. Our students are very grateful.”
This year, CPTC’s Holiday House served a total of 87 families, including 145 children, with distribution taking place Dec. 8 in Building 23 on the Lakewood Campus. The event featured cookies, punch, presents, and Santa himself to meet with the children. CPTC eLearning Coordinator Kelley Meeusen donned the red suit for the event, with the Cosmetology program assisting to ensure the perfect look for the jolly old elf.
According to the Holiday House website, it “has a small but dedicated group of volunteers who return year after year because of the great reward in seeing the responses of students and children at this very special event. Rarely are the tree and the last ornaments packed away without the sense that something very profound occurred.”
The 2016 Holiday House process also featured a silent auction and basket raffle in November, along with lapel pin sales and See’s Candy fundraisers to ensure the adoption of as many families as possible.
To learn more about Holiday House, click here.
