Susan Citrino is putting an emphasis on giving instead of receiving
The old adage goes, “It’s better to give than to receive.” Susan Citrino, a Williamstown resident, is a true embodiment of that saying.
Citrino is a four-year board member of the nonprofit organization “An Opportunity’s Knockin’!” whose mission, per its website anoppknock.org, is “to help equip children and young adults with the tools needed to make a positive impact on their attitude, future decisions and their overall perception of life through motivation, education and inspiration.”
A O.K., as it’s called, was founded by Pete Mauro and Pete Eobbi. Cintrino said Mauro is a family friend, which is how she became involved.
One of the premier projects A O.K. puts together is its annual Holiday Gifts for Giving events. These events take place throughout December and they give volunteers a true chance to give to less fortunate families.
Citrino said she wanted to get involved because she thought it would be a good opportunity to bring her children along with her to show them how fortunate they are. She added her kids loved their experience and looked forward to doing it every year.
Citrino was involved with A O.K. for a decade before becoming a board member. Once on the board, she brought one of the Holiday Gifts for Giving events to the town she calls home.
Citrino says the event starts with the school district — teachers will help A O.K. find kids who might need some help. Once a list is compiled, a waiver is sent home to the child’s parent/guardian and brought back to Citrino. Once a child is picked, they will compile a list of holiday gifts to bring on the day of the event.
“Kids are dropped off and paired up one-on-one,” she said. “Sponsors sit down with their kid and have lunch and go over the list. After lunch, buses pick us up and go to the local Wal-Mart.”
Once at the Wal-Mart, the sponsors, volunteers and kids will shop for the listed items. Afterward, they return to the Pfeiffer Center where the sponsors and volunteers will help the kids wrap the presents so they can leave with everything in hand.
The difference between a volunteer and sponsor is volunteers are giving time and sponsors are donating to the cause both monetarily and in time. A O.K. has fundraisers throughout the year to help with the cost of the annual Holiday Gifts for Giving events. If a sponsor cannot attend the actual event, it isn’t the end of the world. A volunteer can take the child shopping with the donated money.
The most important thing is the message that A O.K. is sending to the kids, which Citrino summed up perfectly.
“We try to teach the kids it’s better to give than to receive,” she said. “We enable them to have the feeling of what it’s like to give someone something on a holiday morning. We give them that selfless feeling.”
The message is dual-faceted, Citrino added. “You get to spend time with the kids. It’s a one-on-one situation. Some of these kids don’t just need physical things, but attention. They can get someone to spend quality time with them. It’s a two-fold thing.”
The volunteers and sponsors for this event are instructed to stay within the $100 budget given by A O.K.
Because it is a volunteer reliant operation, Citrino outlined that there are a litany of opportunities to volunteer.
“Students can get service hours for clubs,” she said. “It can get them three hours of community service.”
Citrino added they don’t have to take a child shopping; there is a lot of behind the scenes action as well.
“If somebody can donate money and not time — time but not money — we need everything,” she said.
Citrino’s event takes place at the Pfeiffer Center on Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. For those interested in volunteering or donating, email info@anoppknock.org or citrino.susan@gmail.com or call Susan Citrino at (856) 362–1003. For more information about A O.K. visit their website anoppknock.org
