For the second straight year, staff and the board of Horizon School Division are helping to make sure happy holidays can be experienced by everyone.

On Tuesday at their Humboldt office they were putting the finishing touches on hampers that will go out to children in need through out HSD schools.

Board Vice-Chair Will Lengyel says their numbers have jumped since last year's inaugural hamper campaign.

"Last year we identified 98 children and 46 families, this year we have 191 children that we're gifting for and 86 families so we're hoping this will help them have a very merry Christmas."

Lengyel explains more about how the program is set up to help those in need.

"Principals in our schools identified needy families that may or may not have very much for Christmas. As a board we donate over the course of the year, some of it's personal, some of it comes from the board and there is central office staff that donates to the fund."

Once the hampers are all wrapped and ready they will be sent out to homes before the Christmas break. It's obvious the children are the real benefactors but Lengyel says it certainly gets them into the holiday season as well.

"I think it's a real good team building exercise for staff around the office and for board members that are here today helping. We see people in a different role than what they normally do and everybody seems to be having a pretty good time and they are pretty excited about the things we are doing for kids."

You can hear more from Lengyel below in his interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.