Every year, students at Cate School sponsor five Carpinteria families during the holiday season, collecting money and donations to share the spirit of these holidays.

This year, the Holiday Cheer Committee — Fernando Hertado, Allison Shoemaker, Kyler Jae, Marin Kautz and Stephanie Flores — delivered donations and gifts to five Carpinteria families this past week.

The boys’ varsity basketball team collected nearly $1,000 from students, faculty and parents on behalf of the families in need. The money was used to buy clothes, books, linens, toys, diapers and department store gift cards.

A bake sale coupled with local parent donations raised another $600 that was used to buy grocery store gift cards for the families.

The girls’ varsity soccer team used their money to shop for the families last Saturday in lieu of a practice.

This Cate tradition of sponsoring local families in need has been going on since the 1970s.

“The parents of the families we visited were clearly touched by the generosity of the Cate community,” said Will Holmes, director of public service. “Thank you all.”

— Don Orth is the communications director for Cate School.