Students stuff stockings for children at Inner City Mission in Springfield

A group of over 40 University of Illinois Springfield students spent their Friday night stuffing stockings in an effort to put a smile on children’s faces.

Members of the UIS Christian Student Fellowship have been collecting money from fellow students on campus to fill the stockings for the past three years. Donations will benefit 35 children at Inner City Mission in Springfield this year.

“They never really get stockings. They get presents sometimes, but they never get stockings, so stockings is something new,” said Amanda Wilczynski, a junior Computer Science major who helped coordinate the event.

The students raised more than $550 going door-to-door in townhouses and residence halls on campus.

“Normally we just get to fill stockings, but this year because of the generosity of the students we’re able to not only give them stockings, but give them bigger presents,” said Debra Tudor, a senior Social Work major.

Inner City Mission provides shelter, support, education and faith based counseling to homeless children, their parents and single women in the Springfield community.

Andrew Nicol, a junior Communication major, has volunteered regularly at the mission. He knows the difference the stockings will make in the children’s lives.

“I know that these kids actually look forward to this kind of thing. They understand that this is coming from students who normally couldn’t do this,” said Nicol.

Following the stocking stuffing, members of the Christian Student Fellowship hand delivered the gifts to the children at the Inner City Mission.

“They’ve never really felt love like this before, so I know for a fact they are going to know people at UIS truly care about them,” said Tudor.