Western University Students to Help Area Youngsters Have a Happy Holiday
Dozens of Pomona Valley children will enjoy a festive holiday celebration
later this month, courtesy of students at Western University of Health
Sciences: A Graduate University of Medical Sciences.
About 100 children from Los Angeles County’s Children’s Services
Department are scheduled to celebrate the season with Western University
students from 5-8 p.m., Friday, December 15, in the University’s Student
Commons. After enjoying arts and crafts, decorating a Christmas tree,
singing Christmas carols and sitting down to a traditional holiday meal,
each child will receive gifts from Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Santa’s Workshop is sponsored by Western University’s student clubs, with
support from faculty, administration and local businesses and
organizations which join together to fund the event. The holiday dinner,
for example, will be provided by Boston Market of Upland.
The party traditionally takes place following final exams on the last day
of class before the University’s winter break.
“”Many of the children who attend Santa’s Workshop are abused and living in
foster homes,”” said Gisele Tackoor, JD, director of student services for
the University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. “”This is
a great opportunity for students from all of our programs to share the
holiday spirit with those most in need.””
Each of the children from the county’s Children’s Services Department
requested a certain toy or gift. Western University’s students will
purchase those gifts with donated funds to give to the children at the
party. The most requested toys were: CD players, Poo Chi, remote control
cars, Mary and Kate Ashley dolls, Hot Wheels cars and radios, Tackoor
said. Barbie Dolls also were popular with the girls.
Students from two of Western University’s five colleges will volunteer at
the party. They are the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and
the College of Pharmacy.
Western University places a strong emphasis throughout its curricula on
instilling humanistic values in its students. A large percentage of the
University’s 35-plus student clubs and organizations are, like Santa’s
Workshop, dedicated to community service.
“”Skilled hands and compassionate hearts will continue to be the signature
of all of our graduates — exactly what is needed in health care today,””
said Western University President Philip Pumerantz, PhD. “”Santa’s
Workshop is an excellent example of how we are meeting this goal in
concrete, tangible ways.””
For more information on Santa’s Workshop, contact Tackoor at (909) 469-
5414.