By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Orion Area Youth Assistance hosted its first Holiday Mart last week, giving Lake Orion schoolchildren the chance to learn that it is better (or just as good) to give unto others.

Students from Head Start and the Great Start Readiness Program at the CERC (Community Education Resource Center) building took part in the Holiday Mart, picking out a present for every member of their immediate family. Holiday Mart was also open to military families who wanted to shop for Christmas presents.

OAYA Board of Directors President Dawn Ames and caseworker Amber Kish came up with the idea after getting more than 2,600 toys, games, coloring books, tea and coffee mugs and other novelty items from the Dollar Tree stores on Lapeer and Baldwin roads.

More than 65 kids come through the Holiday Mart on Tuesday and Wednesday, with students from Learning Options playing “elves,” and helping the younger students shop for their presents.

“They’ve been amazing. They get down on their level and look at their lists and talk to them. They’ve been so patient with them,” Kish said.

On Thursday, parents got to visit on their own, without their kids, and pick out toys.

“It’s been great. It’s been very heartwarming,” said Stella Britt, administrative assistant at the OAYA. “Each child got $1 per person in their family and one for themselves.”

The kids pushed toy shopping carts around a Shopping Mart, choosing items and then taking them to the wrapping table to “cash out” by paying with OAYA bucks.

Teachers and students from Learning Options and staff and board members from the OAYA volunteered to run the Holiday Mart and wrap the gifts the students selected.

The toys left over from the Holiday Mart will be donated to the Lake Orion Lions Club for the club’s Christmas Basket program, Kish said.

For more on the Orion Area Youth Assistance, visit lakeorionyouthassistance.com.