At Bellarmine, students do not only celebrate their own families in the Christmas season, but also their Community Period Adopt-a-Families. Before the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday hits, students are given a mission, a mission to serve during this giving season.

Peter Allegro, junior, claims that “it’s my favorite time of the year because I’m happy, and I have the opportunity to make other people happy.”

This joy is accompanied by an opportunity to get involved through serving the entire community. Through working together, homerooms are able to grow closer to each other. Instead of spending CP finishing a homework assignment for the upcoming period, students are encouraged to work together.

Emily Gallagher, senior, fondly remembers her very first Adopt-a-Family experience. “Our CP really had to pull together when we were given two families freshman year. Everyone pitched in. It was really an amazing experience for both the families and us.”

It can be very hard to get a group of rapscallions to participate in anything, but students jump at the chance to help out with this schoolwide service project. Students listen attentively as advisors tell their homeroom who is in their adopted family, their needs, and their Christmas wishes. These families become extended members of the CP family itself. The needs include food items, toys, clothing, and basic household items.

A sophomore, Steve Kim, is one of the many who are extremely excited for Adopt-a-Family this year because he believes that it “is flat out one of the best experiences that, we, as students, can take part in. It really helps me to appreciate my life and helps me to see the real life problems that families within our com
munity may be struggling with.”

Armed with blue, red, pink, purple, and green wrapping paper and satin ribbons, students fill the blue and white sleighs with presents before they set out to spread some Christmas cheer on Dec. 14, delivery day.