Written by Jennifer Mackesy, Board Member, Graham Windham

Jan. 21, 2015: Thanks to the Bronxville Middle School seventh-graders, the high school's Bronxville Youth Council, and the "Bronxville Friends" volunteer group, Christmas cheer was brought to the children of The Graham School, located in Hastings-on-Hudson.

As in the past 20+ years, the Bronxville Middle School seventh-graders purchased and wrapped toys, games, stuffed animals, and much more for the children at The Graham School who have nowhere to go on Christmas Day.  

The gift-giving effort for the Graham Windham kids is something that comes out of seventh-grade advisory. The kids earn money by doing chores around the house, babysitting, or doing anything they can, and they then give the money to the advisor.

This year they earned $2,065! After all the money has been collected in each advisory, it is given back to the kids and they go out in groups to purchase appropriate gifts for the children. Then the gifts are wrapped during an advisory period and brought out to the Graham Windham van and are taken off to the school. According to teacher and organizer of the project Gene Orsenigo, "It is a meaningful experience for our kids, and it is something they really enjoy doing."

The Graham Windham stocking tradition is made possible with the help of the Bronxville Youth Council (BYC). Members of the BYC executive committee (made up of high school students) ask for donations from the community, and then interested high school students are invited to help stuff the stockings. Each year they receive more than enough goodies to fill approximately 50 stockings. These stockings are for those residents who must remain on campus during the holidays. This year over 50 high school students joined the BYC to stuff the stockings. "Much care is put into the stuffing of each stocking. It is a really great chance to give a small amount of time and make a big difference to the GW kids' Christmas mornings," according to Brigid Buendia, the parent volunteer who spearheads this effort.

Last, the Adopt-a-Cottage program brings the holidays to the campus. For over 20 years, a group known as the "Bronxville Friends" has been led by board chair and Bronxville resident Georgia Wall Gogel. In 2004, the group kicked off its annual "Adopt-a-Cottage" project at the residential campus in Hastings-on-Hudson.

Each holiday season, the Bronxville Friends come out to decorate cottages on the campus with the kids and provide gifts. The Adopt-a-Cottage chairs, Fran Eigendorff, Andre Koester, Jennifer Mackesy, Cindy Randall, Jennifer Russo, and Georgia Wall Gogel, are extremely grateful to all of our Bronxville Friends and youth volunteers for making the season merry and bright . . . and for all that they do year-round for these children!

To learn more about Graham Windham or to make a donation, please visit www.graham-windham.org.

Pictured here: Graham Windham students with Christmas holiday gifts from Bronxville students and volunteers.

Photo courtesy Jennifer Mackesy, Board Member, Graham Windham