Deck the Halls…
SSP strategically stationed two Giving Trees across UNE’s campus: one in Stella Maris, the historical home of UNE COM, and one in the Danielle Ripich Commons, a high traffic location for all of UNE. Tags for each child were distributed like ornaments throughout the branches so that each child would be guaranteed 1-2 presents each. What happened next surprised everyone involved. “I couldn't put tags up fast enough… people were grabbing them so quickly,” Student Doctor Lavrich muses. “I was so incredibly surprised how much the community came together… it wasn't just UNE COM students… it was faculty, staff and undergrads. I was so surprised by how many undergrads actually supported it.” SSP ended up making more tags for the trees so that more of the community could participate. “It ended up that each kid got between five and ten presents,” Student Doctor Lavrich recalls. “It was really incredible. I think the hardest part was making sure everyone had an equal amount of presents.”
Wrapped gifts were dropped off in the Office of Recruitment, Student & Alumni Services (RSAS) in droves. Many of UNE’s community members had never even stepped foot in Stella Maris before. To keep gifts from spilling onto the floor, SSP members made regular collection trips to transport the presents to Lavrich’s apartment. Her chocolate lab retriever, Brady, had to maneuver around the mound of presents without giving into the temptation of opening them.
The pinnacle moment of the entire operation was the day the gifts were delivered to the school. SSP wore holiday headbands to embody the energy and excitement of the day. A line of COM students marched like a procession of ants, moving in and out of Mr. Litchfield’s office at JFK Memorial. “The presents filled the entire office to the point where he almost couldn't work anymore,” remembers Student Doctor Lavrich. “It was really just so heartwarming to see everyone come together and help all these kids.” For privacy, SSP couldn’t hand out the gifts to the families themselves, but the reception they got from the school set their heart strings alight. “All the teachers were just blown away, and little kids were coming in and out of classrooms,” she says. Mr. Litchfield was happy to share the reactions from the families. “They did not expect this much, and they were just so taken aback by how much [the UNE community] helped them out.”
initial thoughts might involve a medical spelling bee, and possibly a partnership with Maine Adaptive and the Special Olympics. "I think our new member class is fantastic and they seem really eager to be more involved. It's going to be exciting to see where SSP goes from here.”
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The celebrated success of the Giving Tree embodies the spirit of the COM Community and the UNE Community as a whole. Not only were people willing to give, they went above and beyond what was expected without motive or personal gain. Where there is a perceived need, COM students are driven to step forward, and do whatever they can to address it. “I've always been driven by service,” admits Student Doctor Lavrich. “I'm a huge people person like my mom. When I was little, she usually tutored for families that were often living in poverty. She would bring me with her… maybe they were living in shacks with dirt floors, but they had so much joy and so much love to give… and they were so appreciative of small things… I think giving back to the community is something that I want to keep doing for the rest of my life. It just gives you a sense of fulfillment.”
With spring approaching, SSP has new incoming leadership with lots of ideas for the future. While Student Doctor Lavrich can't say for sure, some
Brady working hard not to open any presents