Durham College’s (DC) Team Experience stopped by Toronto radio station 999 Virgin Radio and the Mad Dog & Maura morning show to help make the holidays a little brighter for Karley, a local mom-to-be, on December 2, in support of the station’s annual Make it Merry campaign.

Karley was nominated for Make it Merry by her friend, Mary, who submitted a list of much-needed items on behalf of her friend. In her letter, she described how Karley and her boyfriend are expecting their first child due in January, noting that money is tight. She is currently living in a basement that is under construction. “It’s basically a concrete floor and no walls. Cold,” said Mary.

“She’s doing the best she can though and would never ask for help,” she added. “She is the strongest person I know and has gone back to high school and passed with a 99 per cent average and trying to save a little here and there to go to college. She’s trying her best to get ahead but she has so many hurdles in her way.”

After hearing the story about this expectant mom’s needs and her dream of going to college, DC contacted the radio station to offer assistance. The Experience DC “elves” – Team Experience, a diverse group of amazing DC students who are sharing their college experience by offering authentic, real-time accounts of life at DC, from their own perspective, through social media and this website – arrived early in the morning in a van filled with everything from a crib, high chair, formula, clothes and diapers for the soon-to-arrive baby, to a dining room table and chairs for mom and dad.

In addition, Don Lovisa, president of DC, called into the station to give the gift of education by covering one year of tuition at DC for Karley.

“It is the season of giving and as a college, we value the importance of giving back to the community,” said Lovisa. “We’re happy to contribute this tuition and help someone in need.”

On-hand to help deliver the good news to the unsuspecting recipient were Team Experience members Heather and Matisse. For Heather this was an opportunity to help a fellow mom.

“I know first-hand what Karley is going through,” said Heather. “I am attending school full-time and am a mom to a young son. I know how life-changing an education can be, and while going back to school, especially as a new mom, can be scary, it’s also setting Karley and her new family up for success in the future.”

“I can’t even tell you how much this means to me and my future family,” said Karley. “Thank you so, so much. I’m very excited and very, very relieved. I was looking into business courses because I’m a manager right now. I’d like to look further into that, maybe some financial courses. I’m very excited for the opportunity to be able to (do that). I’m so grateful for everything. I never, in a million years, expected to have an opportunity like this.”

One hundred per cent of funds raised via Make it Merry go to families in need across the Greater Toronto Area.