By BROOKE BOYER-  With Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas approaching, IHS Key Club is striving to bring joy to everyone this holiday season. Through donations and service events, members are helping to accomplish this goal. There are various ways for members to make contributions. By giving back to the community and helping those in need, Key Club ensures that everyone can have a holiday season filled with happiness.

Key Club president Ella Spadafora expressed, “Our goal as an organization is to help make the community a better place by providing service. I am hoping that the community will be able to use our service for good and I hope that the students performing a service are able to learn the value of helping others through volunteering.”

The Love Basket collects non-perishable food items to give to families in Indiana County who need them. This is especially important now with Thanksgiving not far away. The donation of these food items provides families with numerous easy-to-prepare meal options throughout the holiday season.

For children, part of Christmas  is rising early in the morning to open fun gifts. Unfortunately, not all children get to experience this. Operation Christmas Child helps to share the holiday spirit with children around the world. Children of varying ages will receive a shoe box filled with donated items. Operation Christmas Child provides every kid with a memorable Christmas experience.

Through Trees for Troops, Christmas trees are delivered to military bases so that our armed forces are able to celebrate the holidays away from the comfort of their homes. Members of Key Club are invited to either dress up as Rudolph or work at the craft table at Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farm to assist in this event.

Junior Justin Raible, who plans to take part in assisting with Trees for Troops, stated, “Coming together as a community during the holiday months to help the men and women who have served our country is truly an amazing event in Indiana.”

To spread even more Christmas cheer, members of Key Club are also able to work the festivities uptown at IRMC Park and the Christmas Parade. These celebrations among the Indiana community spread joy and delight to all.

“I’m so happy that Key Club is doing so many good things throughout the holidays. Our club is meant to be about serving our community and helping others and it’s so great that we have so many opportunities to do that during the holiday season,” junior Key Club member Lexi Smathers stated.

Key Club members are eager to help with the various great causes occurring in the holiday months. By performing good deeds and contributing their time for those in need, IHS Key Club members are proving the true meaning of the holiday season.

[Photo by Adam Shephard]

Photo Caption: Senior Katie Hagens hangs a Love Basket poster in the hallway to spread awareness about the event.