The holiday season is always a great time to show your school spirit with a purpose by helping those in need. Jingle Links has always been a crucial part of the holiday spirit at MHS. Jingle Links is a competitive fundraising event between the grades, where the Student Council sells customizable paper links to raise money for charity. Every link sells for one dollar, and the grade that makes the longest chain wins.
Each class has its own respective color. This year, Freshmen are white, Sophomores are blue, Juniors are green, and Seniors are red. Once sales start, the race for the longest chain begins. The links are displayed where people can track the progress of their grade, which makes the competitive spirit even more present throughout the school. The common belief among students and faculty is that Jingle Links is a “great way to make fundraising competitive and meaningful at the same time,” says Student Council member Luca Giobbio. In past years, even faculty members and parents of students have gotten involved.
For many families in our community, the holidays are stressful due to financial insecurity, and this has been exacerbated by the pandemic and recent flooding from Hurricane Ida. Every dollar raised by Jingle Links goes to local families who “need a little help making the holidays happen,” says Carol Scheffler, Coordinator of Student Affairs. Due to COVID-19, last year’s needs were overwhelming, which means raising as much money as possible was incredibly impactful. Scheffler says we “blew the roof off all of our previous fundraising goals last year.” In the 2020-2021 school year, MHS raised $2,100 for local families in need just through Jingle Links.
The MHS community did a fabulous job of rallying together to support our community through a tough year. Scheffler hopes that this past year was not a “unicorn experience” in the sheer amount of money raised for these families, and the Student Council has a goal of raising just as much, if not more, this year. “Bringing pure happiness to kids who might not be expecting gifts for the holidays’’ is something Giobbio finds so compelling about this fundraising event. Along with putting a smile on children’s faces, taking the stress of the holidays away from the parents is just as important.
Last year, the money raised through Jingle Links was given directly to the district social workers who then coordinated gifts and clothing for local families. This year, gift cards may be purchased for the social workers to distribute among the community members in need. Student Council tries to fill whatever the most urgent needs are when it comes to the distribution of the money.
To purchase a link, find any of your Student Council member, and they will gladly sell you as many as you want. When you purchase your link, you can add a customized message to the paper before it is added to your grade’s chain. Jingle Links bring a competitive edge to a great cause and help to support community members during the holiday season.