RUFF collects gifts for Morris elementary

MADISON – For the fourth consecutive year, boys in the RUFF organization (Ready yoUrself For the Future) will share Christmas cheer with youngsters at Morris Elementary School in Huntsville.

RUFF founder and sponsor Anthony Graham organized the outreach in 2012 to give a Christmas stocking with toys to each kindergartner and first-grader at Morris. The goodwill expressed by the Madison boys always generates smiles of faces of the Morris children.

“This year, we have the opportunity to give 156 boys and girls a smile on Dec. 16,” Graham said. “There are 76 boys and 80 girls.”

“I absolutely loved seeing the smile on a young child’s face when they hold a Barbie doll and say, ‘This is exactly what I wanted,’ or hear a young man say, ‘This race car is really cool,'” Graham said.

Anyone can sponsor stockings by donating matchbox cars, Barbie dolls, Christmas stockings, candy or cash.

Deadline for donations this year is Dec. 15. To donate, visit signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4cafaf2a1-morris.

Planet Fitness and Kay Jewelers are among sponsors for Christmas stockings to RUFF. Graham teaches math at Discovery Middle School.

RUFF focuses on empowering young men to become outstanding leaders in their community. This is the motto of the organization and most

importantly the goal. RUFF is an important aspect in the lives of more than 100 young men in Madison County, Graham said.

As an organization, RUFF strives to promote leadership, morals, values, structure and good character to young men from nine to 18 years old.

RUFF engenders leadership and lends support to boys with character-building activities and help from positive male role models. After organizing at Heritage Elementary School, RUFF groups have expanded across town.

For more information, email agraham@madisoncity.k12.al.us or visit ruffleadership.org or Facebook/Ready yourself For the Future.