Be A Resource for CPS Kids is a service project that strives to bring joy to as many children as possible during the Christmas season. For 11 years, SJS students have sponsored children in foster care and donated gifts from the children’s wish lists.

On Dec. 8, SAC representatives and Community Service officers collected the gifts purchased by each advisory and brought them to the BEAR warehouse, where they planned to organize the gifts and prepare them for shipping.  

“Kids that are in foster or CPS care are so deserving,” Community Service Coordinator Marci Bahr said. “They’ve done nothing wrong to put themselves in the situation they are in; we want to do everything that we can to help them.”

This year, however, upon arriving at the BEAR warehouse, students discovered it was closed due to severe storms and flash flood warnings. Bahr had not received a cancellation email from the project’s headquarters.

“At first everyone was stunned,” she said. “Then we realized that BEAR was closed out of concern for our safety.”

According to Bahr, the Community Service board joined SAC in coordinating the efforts for the BEAR project four years ago.

“[The project] gives both SAC and CommServ officers the chance to bond with one another, which is really great since there is such a cool mix of people from all different grades present,” Head Prefect and Community Service officer Juliette Draper said.

Back at the School, everyone helped unload the toys and place them in a secure storeroom. According to Bahr, with midterms right around the corner, there is no other opportunity to deliver the gifts, so BEAR will send a truck to pick them up later this month.

Although the students were disappointed that they could not deliver the gifts themselves, Bahr says they learned an important life lesson.

“Things are not always going to go as planned in spite of our best effort,” Bahr said. “Be flexible and focus on what is most important in serving others.”