Leadership is adopting a family from the East Bay for the holiday season.

As part of its holiday activities, the class put up a tree inside the attendance office, with paper cutouts representing gift sponsorship for the adopted family.  When people pick the cutouts off the tree, they commit to purchasing the gift. This is the first year Campolindo has used such a “giving tree.”

According to Leadership advisor Dino Petrocco, 18 cutouts are on the tree and anyone on campus is welcome to participate by sponsoring an item.  The tree will remain in the office until December 13.

According to senior Marley Thuma, the family provided Leadership a list of a few items that they want.  “Some things included were work boots, mittens, and sweaters,” said Thuma.

Since this is the first time Leadership has done this, they are only adopting one family.  However, if everything goes well, in next few years they aim to adopt more than one.  Petrocco believes said, “We will look to adopt a family every year.”

The adopted family consists of four children and two parents.  The family was chosen by a group called Catholic Charities of the East Bay.  The organization calls the charity a “Safety Net Program,” and choses families with low income.

According to Thuma, people may also donate money rather than purchase specific gifts.  “My family and I were planning on donating money or going out and buying things like scarves,” she said.

According to Petrocco, Leadership was “throwing around” ideas when the giving tree idea came up.  “It’s the time of year we do philanthropic ideas,” he said.