Volunteers wrap gifts to make sure Southwest Side Chicago kids can enjoy Christmas
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Christmas is coming up in a week, and a Southwest Side business and nonprofit are making sure children at two elementary schools have at least one gift to wrap.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, volunteers on Monday were knee-deep in paper playing Santa's elves.
They grabbed the supplies, and geared up for long hours of cutting and folding.
"It's a Monday night," said Eddie Guillen of Magic UpLighting. "You know, what better place to be than here on the Southwest Side - to be wrapping toys, making families, make a difference?"
Guillen and the other volunteers are on a mission to bring joy to the students on the Southwest Side. There are Legos, motorized cars, dinosaurs, and much more.
"Look at all my little elves! Look at how happy they are! They're busy working," said Mark Dynia of Stuffed Love as he stood among the volunteers wrapping gifts. "This is obviously Operation Christmas."
"Operation Christmas" kicked off in 2016 with Magic UpLighting – and event lightning and party rental company. For eight years, Magic UpLighting has teamed with the nonprofit Stuffed Love.
"I expect all the kids to be smiling ear-to-ear," said Dynia.
Originally, the goal was to try to collect 1,000 toys. But this year they surpassed that - with nearly 3,000 toys collected - and counting.
"Hundreds of donors that came out of everywhere and said, 'Hey, it's time to help out, and this is the season,'" said Guillen.
"Yesterday, we killed it," said Dynia. "We wrapped over 2,500 presents."
It was all to meet the deadline to give kindergarteners through second graders at Peck Elementary STEM School and John F. Eberhart Elementary School the joy of unwrapping a gift this holiday season.
"Honestly, I just hope they get that same excitement I would have opening an gift," said Aaron Soto, 14.
Aaron and his family are among the many volunteers.
"Just having my kids participate more in community volunteering," said Aaron's aunt, Cindy Alba.
For Alba, the gift-wrapping allows her family time to reflect.
"We think we have it bad, but there's others that are in a much worse position," she said.
And the volunteers have bonded too.
"We lost my husband two years ago around this time. So for us, it's kind of a difficult time," said Alba, "so just knowing - helping them through it, as well as helping other kids in the community."
All the toys will get distributed this week – showing there are still great things happening in the city.