A great way to spread Christmas cheer this season is creating an ornament for the Outreach Branch ornament drive. 

The ornaments are then donated to Bellin Hospital to be put on a tree in the lobby for visitors and patients to see. 

“While spending time with patients, I realized many of them won’t be able to celebrate Christmas the way they hoped to. Wanting to bring a little bit of Christmas to them, I thought of starting an ornament drive,” said Ben Foster, a junior at Notre Dame Academy who volunteers at Bellin Hospital.

Librarian Arielle Browne is the adviser for the Outreach Branch of Student Government who is taking Foster’s idea and promoting it here at NDA.

Browne set up a decorating station in the library with supplies and instructions on how to create an ornament.

Students’ study halls offer a perfect time to put together an ornament and spread the word. 

“The importance of the Ornament Drive is to spread holiday cheer,” said Kate Van Pay, vice president of the Outreach Branch.  “Patients and hospital staff need to know they are loved throughout the winter season.”

This is the second year of the ornament drive but without much fanfare they only received 20 ornaments last year.

The ornament drive ends on December 16, so there is limited time left to make an ornament. 

“Hopefully, we created a new tradition here. I am excited to see how far it goes,” added Van Pay.