Children call Christmas Box House home

"The Christmas Box" is a book that emphasizes the beauty and importance of love for children. This book is the inspiration for the non-profit organization The Christmas Box House International also known as the CBI. As stated on their Web site, the CBI uses local and international communities and groups to prevent child abuse and improve the quality of life for children who have been abused or neglected. Right now, the CBI has five children living in it ranging from ages 5-15. "This is very low compared to years past," said Patty Conner-Rose, community outreach representative for the CBI in Ogden. "Usually, for the months of June through December, we have anywhere from 30-40 children living in the house, ranging from infants to teens of 18-years-old." It seems that during the Christmas holidays the community and Weber State University students tend to be more generous to these children. "85 percent the donations we receive come during the month of December," Conner-Rose said. "As a non-profit organization, we depend on these donations." According to Conner-Rose, most of the funding comes from people walking in and writing out a check for $50, or local companies donating toward their funds. These funds go toward the children's necessities and activities. One activity that not only the children, but also the staff looks forward to, is Christmas morning. "On Christmas morning, the children receive a traditional Christmas with wrapped gifts and stockings," Conner-Rose said. "The staff argues about who gets to work on Christmas morning to be Santa Claus and wake the children to open their gifts. "Some of the children say they have never opened a gift before." If you don't have the money to donate, there are chances to volunteer. "We have had several groups from WSU volunteer or donate to us. One group donated computers to our schoolroom for the children to use and play on. Another group from WSU got materials donated to build a huge sandbox for our younger children to play in," Conner-Rose said. "It is a great idea to volunteer at the Christmas Box House," said Shana Davis, WSU sophomore. "The children have never received that kind of treatment, so it is cool to see their reactions." The children of the CBI are scheduled almost every week during the holiday months for activities planned and hosted by members of the community. During the months when volunteered activities are few and far between, the CBI has The Christmas Box Club. The Christmas Box Club is a group of volunteers who host activities for the children throughout the year. One such activity is the Un-Birthday Party. Bowling at Fat Cat's, tickets to hockey games or REAL soccer games are some of the other activities the children participate in. "Some of the children that come here have never been around other children, so it is fun to see them learn how to play and interact with the other children," Conner-Rose said. To donate to The C. B. I., you can either leave a donation at The CBI directly at 1181 South Christmas Box Lane in Ogden or e-mail Patty@thechristmasboxhouse.org.