Mountainside Girl Scouts Wrap Up Gift Drive

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Mountainsiders have a unique spirit, showing up the minute someone learns that a neighbor is in trouble, or needs help.  That spirit has always extended beyond its four square mile border, often reaching out to folks who reside in communities not so fortunate as their own.   

This holiday season, as in many Christmases past, Mountainsiders have both coordinated and collected gifts for inner city children who've had the misfortune of being born into poverty. The night before Christmas, visions of sugar plums are not likely to be dancing in the heads of the underprivileged.  Collections at the schools, Borough Hall, and places of worship, will help ease only some of the burdens of families who barely have enough money to provide basic necessities for their children.     

One such Christmas spectacular gift drive was orchestrated by three Girl Scouts from Mountainside. The presents were collected at the district's Beechwood and Deerfield schools, as well as at the Girl Scout's annual Mitten Tree event.  

After a one-year hiatus, the grassroots endeavor took over where a long standing program in the school district had left off.  When it was no longer being orchestrated by the school's guidance counselor, the trio from Troop 40204, stepped up to the plate.  The girls filled a void which would have left hundreds of children who attend day care in the poorer sections of Union County with, in some cases, nothing at all to open at Christmastime. 

Social media was responsible in part, for the collection's success.  According to Girl Scout Leader Jessica Nordstrom, the Troop was running low with much needed practical items for boys.  She told Patch, "I posted a note on Facebook, and a bunch of people really came through for us, donating hats, mittens, and pajamas. That helped ups fill all the gaps made by the tags that weren't returned." 

Both practical and fun gifts were collected, sorted and wrapped after school hours.  Each and every present was labeled with the individual name of the child to ensure the right gift gets to the right child.  The gifts were give to the Eastern Union County Y's day care center, as well as after school programs run under the auspices of the Division of Family and Youth Services. 

Mrs. Nordstrom added, "a lot of people shopped, and were extraordinarily generous." 

Mrs. Nordstrom noted it was a great experience for the girls, who have worked very hard for the past few weeks, to see where the gifts were going.  Co-leader Angie Splaine and the Troop personally drove the goods in a seventeen foot U-Haul truck to Elizabeth, passing one of the schools which will benefit from the gift drive.  A gleeful staff at the Eastern Union County Y's child care department greeted the ladies and unloaded more than a thousand gifts for children ranging in ages 18 months to 13 years. 

The Deerfield and Beechwood families, together with the staff, were tremendously supportive.  Mrs. Nordstrom extends her heartfelt thanks to the community and added, “Emma, Caitlyn and Kristen have already decided they would like to do this again next year.”

Dr. Nancy Lubarsky, the newly appointed Chief School Administrator for the Mountainside School District told Patch, "What started out as a school-initiated project, turned into a student-initiated project -- which makes it even that much more special.  We are very proud of these students, as well as the community's support."