Independence Students Spread Holiday Cheer Through Toy Drive

Published December 17, 2009

Hundreds of children living in Williamson County will have a much happier Christmas thanks to the generosity of students at Independence High School. In the span of just a few days, the school collected more than 1,500 new toys to be distributed to needy families in the Williamson County community.

Members of the Skills USA program organize this annual event, which pits classes against each other to see which one donates the most toys.

On December 4, students gathered all the toys - everything from board games to stuffed animals - and loaded them into a car owned by Chris Whitney. As the pastor of Nashville Family Church, Whitney will assist the Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency in distributing the gifts to families who might be struggling financially.

"Everybody talks about how young people are all about themselves," says Whitney. "Well, this is a great example of how young people really want to reach the world and help people in need."

For the students, taking part in such a noble cause has taught them the importance of helping others during the season of giving. "It means a lot," says Independence junior Matthew Mezzatesta. "It's such a good feeling to know that someone less fortunate is going to have a Christmas this year."