Students huddled in the cold, surrounded by a flood of people pouring through the streets. Lights sparkled and cries of ?Merry Christmas,? rang through the air.

CSF (California Scholarship Federation) members joined other volunteers on Dec. 2, opening night and the first of two walking days (the other is Dec. 12). Students raised money on the two-mile stretch of for Children?s Hospital Central California (Valley Children?s Hospital).

?Our CSF group decided to participate in this activity because we wanted to become involved with Valley Children?s Hospital,? CSF president Kristen Amerine, ?07, said. ?We originally wanted to actually go into the hospital and visit patients, but they directed us to Christmas Tree Lane as this was their sole fundraiser of the season.?

As a result of the combined efforts of volunteers, the walking night raised $6,700 for the hospital, according to Teri Amerine, Foundation Director Sustaining Gifts at Children?s.

?Serving at Christmas Tree Lane gave us all a sense of doing something worthwhile,? Mary Sargent, ?09, said. ?Though not everyone who came through donated, we felt good about our contribution to Children?s Hospital.?

The students greeted people walking through while encouraging them to make donations.

?Our shifts lasted about two years,” Megan Ortiz, ?09, said. “It was cold and I felt uncomfortable asking people for money, but it was a good experience.?

Future CSF activities will include a college trip in early March as well as further involvement with Valley Children?s.

?We will participate in upcoming Literacy Days,? Kristen said. ?This will give us a chance to go in and read to the kids who are patients at the hospital.?