By Selena Stevens and Kristi Lopez

Gifts should be wrapped and dropped off with the wish list card by Monday or Tuesday, Dec. 3 or 4, at the University of Kentucky Hospital lobby.

Nov. 27, 2001 (Lexington, Ky.) -- Hundreds of Central Kentucky children will have a happier holiday again this year thanks to University of Kentucky employees. The annual Circle of Love provides presents from clothing to toys and bicycles to underprivileged children in Fayette, Bourbon, Scott, Woodford, Madison, Jessamine, Nicholas and Clark counties.

Employees who are participating should bring their gifts, wrapped and with gift lists, on Dec. 4 and 5 to 206 Student Center or on Dec. 3 and 4 to the UK Hospital lobby. Employees should return the gifts to the sectors from which they picked the lists. The gifts will be collected by area schools and distributed to the children. All Circle of Love sponsors receive a free holiday ornament.

Teachers and counselors from area schools select students to receive gifts and send the lists to members of UK's Circle of Love committees. UK employees and departments participate in the program by buying gifts from a wish list made by the children. More than 600 children benefited from the program last year.

"Often we have as many as five or six children in one family who are on the list, and we encourage groups of people or departments to go together to purchase gifts for them," said Bonnie Thornton, UK Chandler Medical Center committee chairperson and director of Volunteer Services at UK Hospital. "It not only helps a needy family, but becomes a great holiday project for that department."

This year UK students are getting involved with Circle of Love. Tim Robinson, UK Student Government president, is leading a charge for student involvement, hoping to build student cooperation, while helping the community.

For information, call the Medical Center volunteer office at 323-6023 or in the Student Affairs office at 257-1911.