Holiday on Campus event brings winter cheer to community

Kirksville already has begun decorating for the holidays and spreading cheer, and the Truman State Student Senate hopes to continue the trend.

The Student Union Building will be open to third- through fifth-graders to celebrate the holidays with college students for the first annual Holiday on Campus from 1-3 p.m. this Saturday.

Senior Parker Conover, external affairs committee chair, said elementary students who attend the event will be partnered up with Truman student volunteers. He said the teams can then participate in a variety of holiday activities. At the event, Conover said Truman students will give their third- fourth -or fifth-grader a gift which, for some kids, might be the only gift they receive during the holiday season.

“On a larger scale, we hope this event further communicates Truman’s mission to foster positive relations with the community,” Conover said. “Having a positive relationship with the community means not just interacting with those who can support our community, it means we also ought to engage those we might not have as much in common with.”

Conover said Student Senate hopes to help low-income families that might have a hard time making ends meet this holiday season. Conover said while the children are the primary reason for the event, he also is hopeful it will create a positive relationship with the Kirksville community.

Junior Jacob Buxton, external affairs committee vice chair, said events like this are part of the reason he is a member of the external affairs committee. Buxton said he hopes it unites the students and town.

“I was raised to make sure you give back whenever you’re celebrating Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving,” Buxton said. “The idea there is to not be selfish and to give back, and not only to your friends or family in gifts, but to help those who might need it a little more than you do.”

To learn more about the Holiday on Campus event, read the rest on Issuu.

The featured image is from an unrelated event.