The Weber State University Community Involvement Center purchased 25 Christmas trees and invited Clubs and Organizations to decorate them on Tuesday. These trees will be displayed until Dec. 17 on the mezzanine bridge of the Shepherd Union Building. The trees will then be donated to the Women’s Center Sub for Santa program and YCC.
“The ones donated to the Women’s Center will be given to single moms, and through the YCC, they will be going to various homeless shelters,” said Mike Moon, assistant director of the CIC, who organized the event. “The clubs involved are also welcome to place presents under the tree, which will be donated with it.”
The artificial trees are only 4 feet tall. The clubs and organizations were instructed to bring their own ornaments. The decorated trees will be judged later this week to be awarded for the most creative and best-decorated trees.
Many of the participating organizations chose to do a purple-and-white theme to play up the school’s colors. Some used decorations that represent their organizations. Academic Support Centers and Programs, for example, is a program focused on tutoring students, particularly in writing. The members decided to use a symbol from their organization to decorate the tree.
“Our logo is a quill pen,” said Zach Metcalfe, a writing tutor for the program. “So we are putting feathers throughout the tree and a big feather on top.”
Metcalfe said he was particularly excited about the idea of placing presents under the tree. He said that when he was younger, there was a year his family couldn’t afford gifts for Christmas, but they still had gifts because of Sub for Santa initiatives like this.
Some organizations did not have any specific theme or symbols to use as inspiration for the decorating. Members of the Latter-day Saint Student Association, for example, said they just wanted to make their tree look good for those receiving it.
“This is great because the LDSSA is trying to be more involved in campus activities, and the trees are going to a good cause,” said Lacey Johnson, vice president for campus connection in the LDSSA.
According to Dorothy Hill of the Women’s Center, single-parent families can sign up for the Sub for Santa program at the Women’s Center. These families are able to submit an application by Nov. 21 to request assistance with gifts and food. On the application, they are asked if they have need for a Christmas tree.
“I think that if you have to cut something out when times are tough, the tree is it,” Hill said. “The families that will be getting these trees are asking for them because they really need them.”
Many students said they were participating because of the opportunity to spread joy during the holiday season.
“I am really blessed in my own life,” said Tess Wilson, a writing tutor for the ASCP. “So doing something even as small as this to give back to those in need really means a lot to me.”
Liz Memmott from the Honors Council said her organization, in conjunction with the Aletheia program, spared no expense when choosing ornaments for the tree it decorated.
“This is super important to me,” Memmott said. “Whoever gets this tree will have a nice tree for years to come.”
