KIRSTEN GUDMUNDSE
Freshman Jennifer Kensinger was an early recipient of the Christmas spirit this year from friends in her ward. Her present was a plane ticket home for the holidays.
“A group of guys from my ward got together and donated plasma so they could send me home for Christmas,” said Kensinger, a freshman from Hershey, Penn., majoring in fashion design. “I was totally surprised. I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
James White, a freshman from Northridge, Calif., majoring in communications, said, “One of our friends found out that (Jennifer) couldn’t go home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. We discussed how we were going to do it. Some guys donated plasma because it was an easy way to get money, and others just gave what they had.”
Over 40 students from Kensinger’s ward and the men’s floors in Helaman Halls donated money for the plane ticket, White said.
“There were so many volunteers to help with this idea that there really was more supply for the demand,” said Nathan Wendt, a freshman from Los Angeles with an open major.
Once the donations were made, White made arrangements for the plane tickets by calling various airlines and comparing prices.
“I found a flight for a decent price and went ahead and reserved it in her name,” he said.
Kensinger’s gift was presented to her in a creative way.
“The guys called her down to the lobby and gave her flower. Then they told her that they had something else to give her and gave her an old ticket stub which said, ‘good for a trip back home,'” White said. “I gave her the real plane tickets when they arrived in the mail.”
Kensinger is grateful for the contributions and efforts made so that she could spend Christmas at home.
“Everything that I can think to say isn’t enough to describe how much I want to thank them,” she said. “When I think of what they did for me, I think of how it was so Christ-like and how they gave their blood so that I could go home.”
Those that participated where pleased to be able to help Kensinger.
“It makes the guys just as happy to know that they have made (Jennifer) so happy,” Wendt said.
