Idaho State University-Idaho Falls to sponsor three families in the first Christmas Tree Project

IDAHO FALLS—Idaho State University-Idaho Falls will sponsor three families in the first annual Christmas Tree Project to help families in need for the holiday season.

There are 32 donation tags on the tree in the main area at the Bennion Student Union at University Place in Idaho Falls. Over half of the tags have been picked up. The goal of the project is give children an outfit or toy, or both, and the parents a gift card. In addition each family will receive a holiday dinner. A wrapping party will be held Dec. 15.

Each family was nominated by students of the ISU-Idaho Falls campus. The nominations were made private to provide comfort for the families. All of the items are donations from the community and students.

“I was looking for a way to showcase our students up here and what incredible people they are and the focus that they have on really serving the community,” said Brad Broschinsky, an academic advisor at Idaho University Idaho Falls who came up with the idea.

The names of the families are confidential, but there are three families total. The first family has two children, one boy age 4 and one girl age 2. The next family also has two children, one boy age 10 and one girl age 12. The last family has six children including, a 17-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl.

“It’s been a neat experience so far,” Broschinsky said. “I think this is a great example of the kind of students that we have at ISU and in particular the students on the Idaho Falls campus.”

Broschinsky understand that it is hard for students to provide donations and they may not have a lot they can give, but what they do have they are giving back.

“They want to help people and they want to give back to the community,” Broschinsky said. “They have a genuine care for other people.”

Students on any ISU campuses who want to donate can contact Broschinsky at brosbrad@isu.edu.