Holiday giving from MBA Association

12/15/2010 4:30 PM

Imagine the face of a little boy on Christmas morning as he opens up a big present. He glows with excitement and anticipation, recklessly tears the colorful paper, and gasps upon seeing the top item on his wish list.

Now imagine yourself bringing this kind of joy to a boy or girl in the Peoria area.

That could be a reality this Christmas for Bradley students and faculty who took tags from an angel tree placed in Baker Hall by the MBA Association. Bradley’s MBA Association is partnering this holiday season with the Salvation Army to bring Christmas presents to underprivileged children in the Peoria area.

The angel tree was not embellished with ornaments, but instead with little cards that were shaped like angels. On the angels were requests for certain toys – like a “Tickle Me Elmo,” or a book about astronauts.  Anyone could take a tag from the tree and return with a gift, but MBA students and faculty were particularly enthusiastic.

“Since many of our students are working professionals, they have the means to be generous givers,” said Hannah Lamke, a board member of the MBA Association.

Thanks to the group’s efforts, 75 tags have been claimed and will be delivered to the Salvation Army on December 10. That means 75 children will have a special gift beneath their tree on Christmas day. 

“It is a wonderful feeling to know that so many people are willing to give to the less fortunate during this time of year,” Lamke said. “It’s also fun to think of a little boy or girl being so excited opening their present.”

MBA board members were pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of support from the 110 students in Bradley’s MBA program. In fact, by the end of the first week of the fundraiser, MBA students and faculty had taken care of all 75 cards on the angel tree; some professors even took two.

“We were quite shocked and actually quite humbled,” said board member Amber Akisanya. “You really only need to get one toy listed on the angel tag, but our students are getting three or four or five toys. So it’s really awesome that students are not only doing the task but going above and beyond.”