The National Honor Society at Lutheran High School South partnered with CFNA for its winter service project this year. We raised money to buy Christmas presents for CFNA families by hosting a penny drive at our school. Each day, kids brought in their spare change and put it in their class jar. This fundraiser became a friendly competition between classes and even the staff to see who could raise the most money. The penny drive made a grand total $1,623.79. This was enough money to sponsor five families, which was a total of twenty-two people.

Members of the NHS used the money to buy gifts at Kohls. Each student was assigned a person to shop for and had fun picking out gifts for each family member. We also gave each family a gift card to Schnucks. After that, we wrapped and sorted all the gifts. We delivered the presents to the families on Tuesday night after the CFNA Christmas Celebration. It was an incredible experience that we will never forget.

Seeing the joy on the children's faces when they opened their gifts brought tears to my eyes. This is not just a charity that students donated their spare change to. These are real people, with real stories. Getting to meet these families changed our entire perspective. Interestingly, the recently arrived Muslim family from Syria was as eager to receive our prayers for them as they were to receive our gifts. It was a perfect reminder of what Christmas is really about.

As we celebrated the birth of our Savior, we were able to spread the love of Jesus with others. This Christmas season, the NHS has learned that it is in giving that we receive.

By Riley Schelp National Honor Society member Concordia, Kirkwood member

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