School Staff Donates Nearly $4,000 for Christmas Gifts

Jeanette Murphy and Marie Cassidy with some of the gifts purchased for local children through donations from school staff.

For the seventh straight year, Jeanette Murphy, Administrative Assistant to the Director of Finance, and Marie Cassidy, Coordinator of Medford Family Network, collaborated with the Department of Children and Families to ensure local children in need will have gifts under the Christmas tree.

This year almost $4,000 was collected from teachers, secretaries, administrators, unions and other school staff. The Medford Rotary Club also generously provided a donation. The money went toward gifts for twenty-three children from twelve Medford families. The children range in age from three months to seventeen-years-old. All of the children received warm winter clothing in addition to items on their individual wish lists.

The idea to do this began in 2004 when Superintendent Roy Belson, Assistant Superintendent Beverly Nelson, and the administrative staff decided to give back to the community rather than buy presents for one another. That year $1,800 was raised and since then more money has been raised each year, making the holiday brighter for more children. Dozens and dozens of gifts were purchased this year, including games, stuffed animals, trucks, bracelets, dolls, bicycles, baby clothes, robes, slippers, electronics, pocket books, gift cards, and much more.

– Information from Medford Public Schools