THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210356
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VALERIE CARINO, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
About 60 children from Larchmont United Methodist Church Preschool have helped make the season a little brighter for less fortunate children
For more than eight years, preschoolers from the 47-year-old church have made ornaments to raise money for the Joy Fund, a local charity that donates cash vouchers for clothing and toys to needy children in Hampton Roads.
The reason the Norfolk church donates money to the Joy Fund every year is simple, according to Betsy Benton, the preschool's director: ``It just makes sense to give at Christmas time.
``It's a way to let the children learn there's an awful lot of children who are not as fortunate as they are,'' Benton said. ``Most of these children are fortunate. They are going to have a nice Christmas.''
With the help of their teachers, the children, ages 2 to 6, started working on the ornaments in early December. Each child's ornament was constructed from paper, felt and other household materials provided by teachers.
Using construction paper, Popsicle sticks and gold rope, a group of 2-year-olds made ornaments that resembled reindeer.
Another group got their hands dirty. Dipping their hands in green paint and pressing them in a circle-like motion on white handkerchiefs to create wreaths, the 4-year-olds made Christmas flags.
The ornaments sold for $1 to $3 at a craft fair on Dec. 8. The project raised $106 this year, Benton said.
Rosemary Skees, who teaches 4-year-olds, hopes the project will remind the children of an important lesson.
We explain to the children that the meaning of Christmas is not about receiving but giving,'' Skees said. MEMO: Valerie Carino is a junior at Old Dominion University.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/The Virginian-Pilot
Clockwise from top left: Lee McKnight, 5; Jazmine Moore, 4; Cristina
DeScisciolo, 2; Geoffrey Ziller, 4; and Laura Richards, 5.
by CNB