Canned goods and boxes of food lined the walls of the family dining room last week. Under the tree, about 30 gaily wrapped presents were ready for giving.
But not one morsel or gift was for the family that lives in the $$ Carrolltowne home. On Christmas Eve, 16-year-old Lindsey Drager delivered the bounty to a needy family in South Carroll.
Lindsey had spent most of December rallying her schoolmates at Liberty High School to the cause of the needy.
She visited students in 21 homerooms and addressed nine clubs with pleas to help three local families who were facing a Christmas without gifts.
"I was really surprised at the response," Lindsey said. "The kids at school were surprised there were so many needy people around here. A lot of them wanted to help."
In the weeks before the holidays, nearly 1,200 poor families applied for help from the Neighbors in Need program, sponsored by the Department of Human Services. When the program assigned three families to Liberty High's Adopt a Family project, Lindsey took over.
"I went to each homeroom in the morning, when the students have more time," she said.
"I asked for donation sign-ups and for one person to take charge of the class."
A $3 donation from each student was workable, and "most kids gave more," Lindsey said. "One family gave $40."
The project changed students' perceptions about poverty, Lindsey said.
"These families are all local," she said. "For all the students know, they might live near them."
The drive netted more than $900, which Lindsey divided among the three families.
"On the last day of the drive, we got so much donated that we were jumping around the school lobby," she said. "We got way more than we expected."
Lindsey and classmates Andrea Hussle and Maria Eppig each took charge of the effort for one of the adopted families. The students noted the wishes of the parents and children, then went shopping. They allowed $50 per family member to buy clothing and "whatever special gift the children asked for."
A set of bunk beds was a little too much for Andrea to handle, but the request was on the list of the family she had agreed to help.
Undaunted, she enlisted the St. Joseph Catholic Community in her part of the project.
The church is supplying the beds and linens.
Lindsey shopped for a family of five, with three children under 4.
"The little boys wanted trucks, so I bought anything that moved," she said. "The girl asked for a baby dollhouse."
That request would have put a serious dent in her budget, but she did find a small castle, complete with a princess.
"I had fun buying all those things, but I did add and subtract the whole time I was shopping," she said.
"The clothes were a little hard. I had to hold them up to other kids."
She said she went for "practical but pretty outfits" for the little girl and matching clothing for the boys.
"They are getting a lot that they both can wear," she said.
L Each child also received a stocking full of little presents.
Lindsey allowed herself two afternoons to do the grocery shopping -- just in case she overlooked any item. She delivered everything to the family Christmas Eve.
"I know from Thanksgiving and from times my church did this that some people are uncomfortable about getting the donations, but they are all grateful," she said.
Lindsey had prior experience with organizing a fund-raising project. She also ran her school's Thanksgiving food drive, which finished with gifts of traditional dinners for 10 area families. She decided to keep the holiday spirit going into December and organized a Christmas drive during her Thanksgiving vacation.
"It's all in my computer," she said.
After two successful projects, Lindsey plans to take a little vacation. She hopes to tweak her school's social consciousness again in the spring.
"I think we could have another food drive in March, when there's not much going on," she said. "It is a lot of work but I love doing it."