Sabina Howell, Christine Young, Cheryl Collier, Sherry Dugal-NevinSabina Howell takes a hand-off of donations for Adopt-a-Family from Office of the Provost staff Christine Young, Cheryl Collier, and Sherry Dugal-Nevin.

Campus collection makes children’s charity a family affair

For Cheryl Collier, giving to the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Foundation’s holiday charity is a family affair.

Acting associate vice-president, academic, Dr. Collier brought her three sons — aged 15, 17, and 20 years — along when she shopped for gifts to contribute to the Adopt-a-Family program.

“We have a lot and my sons know it, but sometimes it’s good for them to feel it as well,” she said Wednesday as she joined colleagues from the Office of the Provost to drop off donations in a truck parked outside the Welcome Centre.

“The boys in our sponsored family aren’t much younger than my own,” Collier said. “I told them to buy things you would want for yourself: they need coats, they need pants.

“To think we can help them have a better Christmas is so awesome.”

Her office was among 33 departments and individuals across campus to join this year’s campaign, which donated more than $25,000 in gifts to a total of 39 local families in need.

“We are fortunate to have so many generous people at the University coming together to help the community,” said Sabina Howell, administrative assistant in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications, who co-ordinates the campus campaign. “It’s so exciting to see the presents arrive and know how much the recipients will appreciate getting them.”