Volunteers posing with some of the bicycles to be gifted are (from left) Ralph Harmon and Sarah George, both with Metronome government contractors, and Arjun Suryakant, Kristi Liesegang, and Ron Richmond, all with Splunk software sales. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
Our Neighbor’s Child is providing holiday gifts to some 700 families in need in Centreville and Chantilly. But it couldn’t do it without the hundreds of volunteers who lend a hand to collect and sort presents, pack them into each family’s gift bag and then deliver them.
Area residents, local businesses and students from Centreville, Chantilly and Westfield high schools pitched in to help, And they were in the thick of things, Dec. 12-14, during ONC’s gift-packaging days.
Among them were Chantilly High SGA members Bryanna D’Souza, Sophia Hand and Kayla Rodriguez, all sophomores. “We’re in the leadership class, so we volunteer with Our Neighbor’s Child every year, two days a week,” said D’Souza. “It’s good to give back to our community and help kids our age and younger who don’t have the same opportunities that we do.”
Centreville High freshmen Carson Kaiser, Christine Lee, Mady Ragano, Kinsey Van Horn and Nicole Maurer also participated. “It’s important that everyone gets something for Christmas or whatever holidays they celebrate,” said Ragano.
Kinsey said people should give back to their community, especially around the holidays. And, said Lee, “People like us, who are more fortunate, should help out people who don’t have as much.”
Kaiser said, “It’s nice to know you’re helping someone have a better Christmas.”
And although Chantilly, Centreville and Westfield are normally rivals in athletics and other competitions, when it comes to ONC, said Maurer, “It’s great that different schools are coming together to help the community.”