Adopt a Family

What is Adopt-A-Family?

Photos Below

Adopt a Family is Mater Key Club's biggest event held every year to help support the less fortunate in Mater's sister schools. This event is held during Christmas time where the members put together a party for these children. Along side Key and Builder's Club, the school's other clubs and organizations, also participate by donating to the children.

To add to the festivities, Key Club asks Glee Club, The Salseros (salsa club), and the Lionettes (dancers) to give a performance, and of course they are amazing.

While the children are opening gifts, they are indulging themselves with hot chocolate, sweets, and pizza. Of course, no Christmas party is complete without SANTA. Key Club wants to give these children an experience they can carry with them forever.

How does Adopt-A-Family Work?

Key and Builder's Club work over 100 hours from September to December to make sure that this event is perfect for the children. The club works closely with the school's sister schools to get the names and information of at least 20-30 children who may be struggling and less fortunate.

The school wants to make sure that those children have a Christmas that they will never forget. Many of those children go home to an empty house or live in shelters. These children need things like clothes and shoes; things that we may take for granted.

The teachers in those schools find out what those children want and wish for Christmas. The mission of this event is to be able to grant those wishes.

To make sure that the kids get everything they want, Key and Builder's asks all other clubs and organizations in the school to participate. Each group "adopts" a child/family, receives a paper with the child's information, and the students in that group donate money and items to that child. This assures that the kids get a wonderful Christmas.

What happens the day of the Adopt-A-Family Event?

The day of the event, Key and Builder's Club members begin to crowd the school's Gymnasium to begin setting up. The members set up a candy station so that the children can make goodie bags with their favorite candies. Next, they set up a hot chocolate station with marshmellows because what is Christmas without some yummy hot chocolate. Thanks to the wonderful cafeteria staff, we have delicious hot chocolate that is quite popular throughout the school. This warmth cannot go without a sweets table wheret the children can have as many cupcakes and cookies as their hearts desire. To comemorate the festivities, there is a photobooth with plenty of fun props for the clubs, organizations, children, and their families to take tons of photos.

After setting up all the stations, the club members spread out to decorate the gym with Christmas decorations. If you were to walk in, you would also see how around the gym there is a sign with the name of each child so that he or she has their own section to open gifts and enjoy the show.

When the children arrive, they are escorted into the gym and sat with the club or organization that "adopted" them. Little do they know that they have a treat in store for them. When everyone is sat and ready, the Salseros (salsa club) dances and put on a wonderful performance. After that, the Lionettes (school dancers) blow everyone away with one of their beautiful Christmas performances. To end the show, Mater's Glee club, comes in to sing some Christmas Carols. For this part of the show, Glee has everyone singing and dancing along with them. Seeing the smiles on these children's faces brings such a warmth to your soul and a smile to your face.

Just when the kids think it is over, Santa walks through the door with his cheery "Ho, Ho, Ho". Some of the children are so happy they can't help but cry. While they are opening gifts, they have the chance to visit with Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas; every child's dream at Christmas is to be able to see Santa and Key and Builder's Club has made that a reality for them.

The children then have the opportunity to play with their toys, dance, eat, and just have some plain old Christmas fun. Finally, the event ends with some cheesy pizza for lunch. Soon after that, the children go back to their schools and the club members are left to clean up the gymnasium, however it is done with a smile because it is a time to reflect on the good that was committed there that day.