UTEP Greek Life Members to Wrap 200 Gifts for Local Children

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Published on Friday, 30 November 2012 00:03

About 60 Greek Life members at The University of Texas at El Paso will gather to wrap about 200 gifts donated by the UTEP and El Paso communities for the Women’s Resource Center’s (WRC) Secret Santa gift drive at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28. This year the WRC received 214 letters from disadvantaged children throughout El Paso County asking for gifts from Santa.

In recent years, UTEP Sociology Lecturer Teri Hibbert has invited her Introduction to Sociology students to participate in the Secret Santa program for extra credit. This year, approximately 210 students were given the opportunity to participate, and close to 100 percent did, whether it was to buy gifts or donate wrapping paper, candy, cookies, and/or juice boxes for the gift distribution party. 

“I tell them I do not want any child to miss out on the joy of Christmas and I hope this encourages them to give back and appreciate what they do have,” she said. 

The WRC began collecting letters from the Lee and Beulah Moore Children’s Home, El Paso Center For Children, YWCA, and less fortunate children in the Montana Vista area in early October. The Secret Santa gift drive originated with the UTEP Women’s Club more than 50 years ago. It was entrusted to the WRC in 2006 after the Women’s Club dissolved.