WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Westerville Central Warhawk Theatre students are bringing a little magic and lots of cheer to the holiday season.
This is the first time students from Westerville Central High School teamed up with the Family Mentor Foundation to build Buddy Boxes. It all started with the recognition that “Westerville especially supports the arts like no other.”
“They support the high school theater departments. So we wanted to give back.” One way… we wanted to do something for the little kids around here,” said Stephanie Matushoneck, artistic director for the Westerville Central Theatre Department.
Matushoneck went on to say that since students are performing, “Elf The Musical Jr,” and it’s about Buddy the Elf, they wanted to bring it all to life in a tangible way, off stage.
“The show is really about giving to others and the connection to family,” senior Aaron Dick, who plays Buddy, said. “When you’re a kid, it’s all about getting gifts, but when you get, when you turn into an adult, it’s more about giving gifts.
“I think it’s really good for us who are bridging that gap into adulthood, you know we’re about to go into college a lot of us…it helps us start getting in that giving mood.”
Filling the Family Mentor Foundation warehouse, students filled the boxes with non-perishable goods.
“The Buddy Box program is essential to providing that weekend resource of food for these kids,” said Meegan Jesuele from the Family Mentor Foundation.
Last year, the Family Mentor Foundation distributed 65,800 boxes to help kids facing food insecurity in Franklin County. The organization expects that number to rise.
Senior Joe Mihaly plays Buddy’s father, Walter Hobbs.
“You know you can help people who are in need, and then you can also bring entertainment and joy to those who come to see you perform. So it’s cool to be able to do both of those things,” Mihaly said as he packed boxes.
Performances of the musical begin Dec. 4. Kids attending the show will get the chance to participate in crafts with Santa’s elves after each show.
