Beginning at age 16, Grace Dehel found an unusual way to volunteer that combined her love of children, Christmas, and service in a holiday gift wrapping stand at a local mall benefiting UNICEF. Over the years, her commitment has grown from a few 4-hour shifts into a family commitment that encompasses the entire Christmas season, as Grace, her mother, and sister took over the operation in 2007. With Grace’s continued leadership, the project continues to raise approximately $10,000 annually to benefit UNICEF. She mobilizes hundreds of volunteers from local student and adult groups, local employers, and her own family to cover roughly 250 gift wrapping shifts. Her service leads to long nights and weekends in addition to her regular job, but Grace loves the work and says “without this stand, it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas for me.”
