A young girl proudly displays the present she has chosen for her parents.

Director of Mountain Outreach Marc Hensley, along with 31 University of the Cumberlands student volunteers from Mountain Outreach, Appalachian Ministries and several sports teams, were there to assist and share in the children’s excitement.

“It was overwhelming to see a student on her knees helping a 6-year-old pick a gift for their Dad and see the connection made between the student and the child and see them both experience the happiness,” said Hensley.

The joy of giving experienced by the children was shared by those who volunteered their Saturday morning for the event.

“It was great to see the smiles on the faces of the children as they clutched an item they picked to give their mom or dad,” Hensley said. “When they held the gift tight to their chest, you could see the happiness and the excitement as they realized how giving makes them feel. That is what the day was all about, experiencing the joy of giving.”

University of the Cumberlands, located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, is a private liberal arts college in its 117th year of operation. Cumberlands offers four undergraduate degrees in 37 major fields of study, 30 minors and nine pre-professional programs, graduate degrees and certifications in education as well as online and accelerated, nontraditional programs for adults.