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  • Autry Technology Center students Lexie Pendleton (left) and Raquel Chacez work as a team to wrap a Christmas gift Friday bought for YWCA Enid's Teen Christmas sponsorship program. (Staff Photo by BILLY HEFTON)

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December 16, 2011

Autry’s student elves

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Santa has some extra elves this year.

About 120 students from Autry Technology Center shopped for and wrapped gifts for 80 Enid teens who might not otherwise have had a Christmas this year.

YWCA Enid’s Teen Christmas sponsorship program fills a gap in programs offered by organizations which typically cater to younger children.

“Many organizations have adopt a family, or there are programs for children, and usually it is for children 12 and under,” said YWCA Executive Director Melissa Blanton. “We saw a need to provide for these teens who are not provided for. It was a gap in services and that’s why we decided to take this on.”

Blanton said this year 80 teens will receive gifts through the program. The names came from Salvation Army of Enid, and the students from Autry were provided with the list of names that included each teen’s gender, age, clothing and shoe sizes, and items they requested for Christmas.

Blanton said the YWCA began collecting donations for the program in September, and typically provides $50 for each teen. However, this year teens will receive $60.

“We had a lot of extra donations, so we divided it up and were able to provide $10 extra for each teen,” she said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity, especially at Christmas, for the YWCA to assist teens who are not fortunate enough to have either the family support or the financial support to purchase gifts.”

Autry Tech health careers instructor Andrea Winter said three classes of students helped with the program this year. Students studying heath careers, dental assisting and medical assisting spent two days — one day shopping and another wrapping — helping the program.

“It’s a great opportunity to give back to the community,” Winter said. “We’re very appreciative to the YWCA.”

Winter said the students are members of Health Occupation Students of America, a group that has paired with YWCA Enid for years on community service programs.

Dental assisting instructor Traci Gosney and medical assisting instructor Sandy Patocka’s students participated in this year’s Teen Christmas sponsorship.

The students wrapped gifts Friday and delivered them to YWCA Enid that evening.

Salvation Army of Enid’s Charlotte Gragret said the organization received 292 applications from families for assistance with Christmas this year.

She said the programs offered by Salvation Army are for children 13 and under. By taking information from the applications, Gragret said she was able to compile a list of teens from among those more than 200 families.

She said the YWCA’s efforts in the program will mean those teens have  a Christmas.

“It means those kids get a gift,” Gragret said.

The teens in the program will be able to pick up their gifts from YWCA Enid, 525 S. Quincy, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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