Published: December 24, 2005 12:11 am Taylor students are real champions Teams brings Christmas joy to local family By JOHN DEMPSEY Tribune staff writer Christmas will be a much brighter for one Kokomo family, thanks to a group of Taylor High School students. The 21 members of Taylor’s varsity and reserve girls basketball teams took money they would have spent on a Christmas exchange and bought gifts for a family of four. “It makes you think about how lucky you are. Some families are just fortunate to have gifts under the tree, or to even have Christmas,” senior Morgan McWhorter said. “It feels good to provide for others and make them happy on Christmas day.” The players presented the family with gifts Tuesday, but Coach Dennis Bentzler also made sure that a few for each of the four children were held back so they would have something to open Christmas morning. “We kept three or four presents for each one for Christmas and got the parents some gifts, too,” senior Jamie Dunlap said. “I think they really enjoyed themselves and appreciated it.” The players were enjoying themselves as well, playing with some of the toys and Dunlap painting the fingernails of the girl her group bought for. Given a choice of buying presents for each other or providing for a family, the decision was an easy one, McWhorter said. “We did this once before, our sophomore year. This year, [the seniors] were like why don’t we do that,” she said. “The time before, it was priceless seeing the looks on the kids’ faces. “We knew we wanted to do this. It was almost unanimous to do this instead of having a Christmas exchange between the teams. We always get presents,” McWhorter added. “It means a lot more to provide for them than just buy for ourselves. “It’s fun this way, too. We got to go shopping together.” The players took the money they would have spent on each other, plus some donations from parents, and had $120 to spend on each of the four children. Bentzler gave them a night off from practice and met them at Wal-Mart to do the shopping. Breaking down into four groups, each led by one of the seniors, the players spent quite a bit of time looking for the right gifts. “We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to get,” Dunlap said. “We did have a hard time narrowing things down and finding the right gift for the little girl.” Each group got together after shopping and wrapped gifts. During Bentzler’s 12 years of coaching, his teams have either sponsored a family or done something community related over the holidays in more than half of those years. “Two years ago, we sponsored three families. I don’t think I have ever seen as many tears shed — the families and our kids,” he said. “To see the kids’ reactions, they love to do it. The look on faces, the interaction of the kids with the families, it’s unbelievable. “I think the players learn so much from it and appreciate where they’ve come from. Plus, I think they appreciate the fact they have the ability and can do things for the families.” That this group of seniors — Dunlap, McWhorter, Jackie Lasley, Brianne Christophel, Jennifer Petty and Courtney Jones — were enthusiastic supporters of the idea and spearheaded the project came as no surprise to Bentzler. Over the last two years, they’ve helped Taylor win a pair of sectional championships and took the regional title last February before falling short of a trip to the state championship. “This has always been a good bunch of kids. What they have meant to our school and community and what they have done as a group together is remarkable,” the coach said. “Certainly, on the court, they brought us recent prominence, but what they have done in the classroom and community is amazing to me. “The sky is the limit for these kids — they’re good students and come from good families. Taylor has been blessed to have this group of kids come through.” The players themselves are just happy to help others and leaves them with a good feeling. “It’s a good thing being able to help people who aren’t as privileged as we are,” said Lasley, whose mother, Donna, helped arrange the event. “I think it makes everyone take a different perspective on life,” Dunlap added. “People don’t realize what they have,” Christophel said, “until they see families that don’t have much.” John Dempsey may be contacted
by e-mail at john.dempsey@ kokomotribune.com or by
calling (765) 854-6739 | 
