When reminiscing about picking out gifts for Santa’s Wishlist, Kalib Jackson’s voice pitched up in happiness at the memory. Jackson, a Madison College student, remembers picking out a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure he thought would’ve been really cool to get as a kid.

“It was kinda nice to be able to pick out some stuff…” Jackson reminisced.

“I really put a lot of thought into the gifts… I thought what would I want if I was 10, 9, 8 and… when you put yourself in that perspective, and put yourself in the kid’s mind, it’s really cool to just think about what they want,” said Jackson. While Jackson personally wasn’t able to go shopping, he was able to pick out some gifts.

Santa’s Wish List is a program coordinated every year by the Volunteer Center with the goal of helping Madison College students provide holiday gifts for the children of fellow students. Applications were accepted in September and October, and those who met all the requirements were asked to send in information regarding possible presents. The Volunteer Center then created ornaments, tiny laminated stockings and stars made out of colored paper with a kid’s gift-list written on them.

Kids varied in age from a few months to 12 years old, and asked for gifts ranging from socks to a CD player. A lot of parents also asked for books and educational tools.

This year there was about 160 applicants, according to Alex Hernandez the Santa’s Wishlist Coordinator, but 250 kids because applicants could apply for up to four kids.

As of Nov. 17, all 250 kids had been sponsored, but the Volunteer Center is still accepting donations. Donations will be spent shopping for kids who’s sponsors fell through at the last minute.

When Jackson participated in Santa’s Wish List, he wasn’t able to go shopping for gifts, but helped seek donations, it was just the thought “of a group of kids without gifts on Christmas,” he said that inspired him to go this extra mile. I don’t think anybody should be left out on Christmas, he said.

“Just imaging these kids (and) how great they felt afterwards was probably the best feeling,” said Jackson.

“It’s really rewarding,” said Isaac Elsen, a student in the Civil Engineering Technology program, on participating in Santa’s Wish List. My kid asked for dinosaurs, and as a kid my siblings and I were into dinosaurs, and had dinosaur toys and books so giving them to my kid was like “passing on (the) joy, and happiness I got from (them)…” said Elsen.

“I love the kids, and I love seeing their faces, and how they react, it’s awesome it really is,” so “if I can just quick contribute, in donating, or something, I wouldn’t mind doing it…,” said Jackson.

“I just really wanted to give a kid a great Christmas if I could,” said Elsen, on why he decided to volunteer. It’s a good way to “share a little bit of joy,” said Hernandez.

The Volunteer Center is still accepting donations. There is a donation box is located at the front desk of Student Life at Truax, Room B1216.