1. BHS Giving Tree

2. Recipients ALL tags on the tree represent a wish from a student at BHS or their immediate family Every gift directly benefits someone in the BHS family

3. Step 1 Guidance Counselors prepare a list of eligible families based on the free lunch list. Counselors call families and get gift requests.

4. Step 2 Mark Johnson gives each family a code, so that when Student Council gets the list, the families remain anonymous. – Example: A3 Letter: tells which counselor #: means it is family 3 for that counselor – In 2012 we had 49 families on the tree!

5. Step 3 Student Council makes 2 tags for each family member on the tree. The goal is for each person to receive 2 gifts of approximately $20-30 in value.

6. Step 4 Student Council puts up the tree and hangs the tags. Since all the tags do not usually fit on the tree, they prioritize and put up the tags that are the biggest necessities first. (Coats, shampoo, body wash, sheets, etc)

7. Step 5 People take tags off the tree and agree to purchase the item requested or a gift card. – Parents, students, teachers, and even community members take tags – Some teams, clubs, and classes take tags and contribute as a group to purchase a gift – Some teachers collect money in their classes and either buy a gift or donate the cash to Student Council.

8. Be sure to sign the Clipboard. – Put your name next to the tag #, so we know who took which tag. We keep track of who brings back their gift, and try to contact those who took a tag but have not turned in a gift yet.

9. Step 6 Return UNWRAPPED gifts to the Main Office. – Gifts must be unwrapped so we can see what it is. Over the years, a few people have turned in inappropriate gifts, so we need to inspect each gift before sending it to a family. This year all gifts are due by Tues Dec 10th

10. Step 7 Student Council wraps all the gifts. – We can always use donations of scotch tape and gift boxes, especially large boxes to fit coats. At this time we have plenty of wrapping paper.

11. Step 8 As gifts come in, Student Council checks off which gifts have come in and keeps track of the value. After all gifts have been collected, Student Council shops for all people who have not received $40 in gifts. – Last year we spent $4100 on extra gifts!

12. It is difficult if one kid in the family gets a $100 gift and the others only $40. Please only spent $15- $30 a tag. If you want to donate more, take more tags. Or if you are doing larger donations, make sure it is going to the parent, like for a Jewel gift card. ***It is easier for Student Council if you take more tags off the tree and fulfill more gift requests than donate large amounts to each person.

13. Step 9 Gifts are sorted by family, and counselors arrange for the families to pick up the gifts. We usually have 500+ gifts to wrap and sort, so it is ESSENTIAL that you attach the tree tag to your donation so we can keep track of who it goes to. Often people just drop off random things that don’t have a tag from the tree or that aren’t for any specific person. Please don’t do that. Find a tag on the tree that matches your gift.

14. THANK YOU!!! Thanks for helping make this holiday season better for our BHS families! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kristen Gac x4098.