• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Tree helps others give to kids of struggling UW-Rock adult students

Photo

Marylee Kishel

JANESVILLE — Without UW-Rock County's Giving Tree, Mary Brown's children would have had to wait at least two weeks after Christmas for presents last year.

Even then, when Brown earned her first winter break full-time paycheck, they would have received only a couple of little gifts because that's all the single parent of four could afford.

Instead Brown's kids, then ages 14 to 7, got so many presents through the Giving Tree she almost cried.

"It really touched me that so many people would go out and spend their money on so many gifts when they more than likely had their own family to buy for," she said.

The Giving Tree, now in its seventh year, is sponsored by OASIS, the adult student club on the local two-year campus.

Brown, 33, of Janesville, who is studying elementary education and Spanish, will get Giving Tree help for her children again this year.

The holiday assistance, she said, "is really going to help."

Brown isn't alone.

During the past six years, the Giving Tree has helped other adult students struggling financially to ensure their kids have a few wish list items under the Christmas tree.

Marylee Kishel, adult student adviser and adviser for the OASIS club, is the force behind the Giving Tree that has helped 49 to 74 children each year.

"It is designed to ease the transition to being a student parent, allowing parents to spend more time studying and doing well in school rather than worrying about 'What am I going to do for the holidays for my children,'" she said.

Kishel was introduced to a similar holiday project when she worked at a community college in Kentucky.

"I saw a need here, and it didn't take much convincing for the higher ups to allow me to do this," she said.

Kishel e-mails adult students who meet financial criteria based on Free Application for Federal Student Aid, encouraging them to contact her about the Giving Tree. When they do, she sends them applications asking for each of their children's first names, genders, ages and lists of eight items each wishes for at Christmas.

Once Kishel receives the information, she writes it on a paper snowflake that decorates the Giving Tree displayed in Williams Hall lobby. Staff, faculty and students then have the opportunity to adopt as many children as they want, buying one, some or all the items on the wish lists. An option for those who don't adopt is donating money to OASIS so club members can shop for children whose wish lists are filled.

Kishel, for the first time this year, is asking the public to help 47 children, ages 1 month to 16, through the Giving Tree.

"Historically, I haven't advertised it, but I think we're going to have trouble getting (enough) donations this year from staff and students," she said.

When the parents come to pick up the gifts on the last day of the fall semester, they take them home and save them to be from Santa, Kishel said.

"My kids were so excited. They loved everything," she said.

"This meant the difference between a couple presents, of only something I could afford at the dollar store, and new clothes and other things they needed and could have at Christmastime."