‘Have a Christmas’: Boise students go shopping through donations, Parks and Rec program
Christmas came a few days early this week for some students in the Boise School District, and a local department store was even livelier than usual.
On Wednesday, more than 170 children in elementary schools were treated to the Boise Parks Recreation’s Annual Kids Holiday Shopping Spree at the Target on Eagle Road.
Boise Parks and Rec started the program in 2007. The department takes students in grades 1-6 from its after-school programs to go shopping with local volunteers. Each child receives a $40 gift card to spend on themselves and members of their family.
This year, there were 50 volunteers helping the students budget their money. That didn’t stop many of them from heading straight to the the toy aisle, where they could be forced to make the difficult decision between a Pokemon plushie or a Lego kit.
Other students searched for items for their family. After grabbing a bag of Takis for herself, 11-year-old Emily Guerrero said she was searching for a toy to give her 8-year-old sister for Christmas. Another student, 8-year-old Lizzy Martin, said she was looking to buy art supplies for her mother.
Roseanne Brown, the department’s recreation superintendent, said the program was once again sponsored entirely by community donations.
“You do the math, and that’s a little over $6,000,” she told the Idaho Statesman. “That’s our community just being very generous and helping these kids have a Christmas.”
