Mary Washington’s COAR staff donates more than 300 packages to local school children

Last week, University of Mary Washington students pretended to be elves for a special holiday delivery.

The COAR (Community Outreach and Resources) staff and the entire UMW community spent months filling gift-wrapped shoeboxes with winter hats, school supplies and toys for preschool students. The annual effort produced more than 300 packages specifically for youngsters in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County schools, including students in the Head Start Program, which provides education and resources for eligible children ages 3 to 5.

“It’s heartwarming to see,” Center for Community Engagement Director Sarah Dewees said. “It kind of brings the campus community together.”

More than 75 students participated in a wrapping party this fall, according to Dewees, covering boxes in paper with festive designs, including snowmen and snowflakes, and penguins and pineapples and polar bears. Throughout the following weeks, boxes were checked out by individuals willing to stuff them with required and requested items, including coloring books, crayons and toothbrushes.

“We’ve been working for almost two months now to fill all these boxes and get people to understand it’s important,” said sophomore Knox McKinley, who is double majoring in sociology and women’s and gender studies. “It just helps open a lot of people’s hearts.”