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Hiller Holiday Helpers bring cheer to Trinity
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The Hiller Holiday Helpers is an organization within Trinity Area School District that works to raise funds for various needs in the school community. This is the third year that the organization, led by Lindsay Benzenhoefer “Mrs. Benz” and Amber Muschick has provided assistance to Trinity families in need throughout the calendar year.
Though the organization can help at any time, the primary focus of the Hiller Holiday Helpers is the holiday gift-giving project. With the help of district employees, sports boosters and members of the community, the committee identifies school-age children in the district whose families may not be able to provide material goods during the holidays. The identities of these children and families are held in strict confidence.
After obtaining family approval, the organization gathers clothing and gift information for each child. From there, the Student Council takes a field trip to Target to purchase the items while remaining in budget. The shopping experience is eye-opening for the students, and much is learned about empathy and the art of giving back, said Benzenhoefer.
Teachers Ryan Daloia, Mike Sherry and Andy Migyanko help students organize purchases at Target during the annual holiday shopping trip.
Not only do students help to purchase gifts, they also help to wrap them.
The honors English program, led by Michael Sherry and Francesca Cortese, sponsors an annual food drive that provides families with a box of pantry items and a holiday ham. This year, the classes filled more than 100 boxes with canned goods, holiday staples and snack foods. These items ensure that Trinity families truly can relax and forget the financial burden the holiday season sometimes causes. The group also volunteers at Greater Washington County Food Bank.
Ava DeBoer, Lindsay Benzenhoefer and Claudia Cappelli take a break from working one of the student events to fund the Hiller Holiday Helpers. This year alone, students raised more than $14,000.
This year, Hiller Holiday Helpers accepted 118 children into the program and will spend about $14,000 on the endeavor. All of the money is raised in-house by hosting a dodgeball tournament, school dances and other fundraisers. The overall goal of the program is to increase outreach annually and to make a positive impact in the school community.