Three families The Post showcased in December spent their holidays with a few more gifts under their tree and in their wallets.
The Huddy, Tippie and Travis families each told their stories to Post reporters for the newspaper’s Dec. 4 philanthropic venture, which was a revival of the stand-alone Holiday Wish Book published in previous years.
In total, The Post raised $120 that was used to purchase Visa and gas gift cards. In addition, toiletries, household items such as blankets and cookware, and children’s toys were dropped off at the newspaper’s Baker University Center newsroom by administrators, faculty, students and Greek life.
Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center Director Lisa Roberts, who convinced Erin Travis of Coolville and Linda Tippie of Guysville to tell their stories, said she has mixed feelings about the outcome of the Holiday Wishlist.
“It is intensely personal to open up your life’s history,” Roberts said. “When you do that publicly, you leave yourself open to ridicule, but it’s a good idea to identify people in the community and try to help them.”
Roberts said she was hoping Erin Travis, her sister, would receive something a little bigger than a couple of gift cards and an outfit.
“I was just hoping a realtor or a landlord would come forward and help her find a house,” Roberts said. “But they’re not complaining.”
Travis said she’s still looking for a home for her and her two sons while occupying her trailer.
“I was really hoping to have help finding a place to live,” Travis said. “But the money did help.”
Roberts added she believes Tippie received a gift for each of her three granddaughters, but the Tippies could not be reached by press time to report if the family had received other gifts.
Tabatha and Chris Huddy lost their home last April to a rockslide and agreed to tell their story to The Post as well. Tabatha said her family received toys for their daughter, Abigail, a set of Visa gift cards for $25 each and a blanket.
The paper published a donation form along with the stories in the Dec. 4 issue, and then on the opinion page in the Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 issues. The last day for donations was Dec. 9, the first day of finals week of Fall Semester. The stories also mentioned tangible gifts the families wanted.
Ryan Clark, the paper’s editor-in-chief, said he’d like next year’s editors to continue the effort.
“We have a platform that can reach thousands of people and, with it, have a responsibility to tell difficult stories and a privilege to benefit others,” Clark said.
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@eockerman
