Workers from the UM Facilities Management Department pause to select gifts for their children and grandchildren from the Books and Bears toy distribution in Fulton Chapel. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
OXFORD, Miss. – Faces were beaming, smiles were big and bags were bulging Friday (Dec. 20) in Fulton Chapel as University of Mississippi employees old and new gathered to give and receive gifts in this year’s Books and Bears distribution.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce and first-year workers in the Facilities Management Department expressed excitement and joy as the 22nd annual charitable event got underway. Beneath festive lighting and with seasonal music playing in the background, gifts filled the stage with books to the left, bears to the right and toys front-and-center.
“This is amazing, spectacular and marvelous,” Boyce said. “I want you to know that I deeply appreciate all of you for the amazing work that you do, which is so critical to the success of our great university.
“It doesn’t go unnoticed, and I’m proud to be a part of rewarding you in this special way. Merry Christmas and may you have wonderful holidays.”
Donald Cole, associate provost emeritus and associate professor of mathematics emeritus; along with Janice Murray, associate dean of liberal arts emerita and professor of art emerita, organized the first Books and Bears in 1997 in response to what they saw as a need to help custodial staff provide Christmas gifts to their children. Spread by word of mouth, the initial response to the call for donations was overwhelming.
Both Cole and Murray, who are both retired, returned to campus for the festivities.
“We wanted the staff’s children to have the books for literary development and the bears for nurturing purposes,” Murray said. “People have been responding generously ever since. Somehow, there’s always been enough so no one left emptyhanded. It’s truly amazing.”
Chancellor Glenn Boyce greets employees of the Facilities Management Department to the 22nd annual Books and Bears distribution on Friday (Dec. 20). Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
Cole said he is always inspired by the campuswide benevolence shown in response to the call to help others through the program.
“I’m so glad to see Books and Bears still going and increasing year after year,” Cole said. “It’s the kindness and generosity of the University of Mississippi community that makes this such a special place to work and difficult to retire from.”
Sponsored by the campus Black Faculty and Staff Organization, Books and Bears distributes hundreds of new teddy bears, children’s books and toys donated by Ole Miss faculty, staff, students and alumni during the last three weeks of the fall semester. As in previous years, the collection was generous and bountiful.
“To continue the legacy that Dr. Cole and Dr. Murray started takes a team, and our team has really been amazing,” said Jackie Certion, assistant director of the FASTrack program and Books and Bears coordinator since Cole retired. “Several junior faculty and staff have joined us in making this year’s distribution one of our largest and best.”
First-time participants reflected upon how the generosity of others will brighten their holiday celebrations.
“I have three boys, ages 5, 8 and 11, who have been asking for anything and everything they can think of for Christmas,” said Daniel Sims, a custodial worker from Oxford. “I’m hoping I’ll leave here today with some Legos, electronic games and remote-control cars.”
Velma Shaw, of Batesville, was looking for something special for her 5-year-old granddaughter.
“I know she likes unicorns, and I see a couple up there on the stage,” said the custodial worker who began working at the university earlier this year. “Whatever I receive, I’ll be grateful. It’s just so nice of people to want to do something nice for other people’s children and grandchildren.”
Dolls, tablets and bicycles are what Mattie Tenner said she hoped to take home to her two great-grandchildren.
“This really helps me save money on buying gifts for them,” the custodial worker from Oxford said.