Millionaire businessman Tom Gamel stood before a classroom of sixth-graders at Cole Arts & Science Academy on Wednesday, about to blow their minds with a nifty gift, but first, he wanted to impart some wisdom.
“I am a very lucky person,” said Gamel, who owns Timpte Trailers and has made wise investments. “The reason I am able to buy you each a present is because of education. I want to urge you, if you want to grow up and be successful, get an education.”
Then out came the gift-wrapped goods — MP3 players for every student. Eyes bulged. One student began tearing up, and the teacher wondered aloud, “How am I supposed to teach them math now?”
Gamel has adopted Cole, the Five Points school his mother attended in the neighborhood where his grandmother lived.
Gamel has promised to give Cole $500,000 every school year, as long as the students are making progress. And he wants other businessmen to follow his lead.
On Wednesday, he said he is making a list of about 35 other rich Denver businessmen whom he’ll call and pressure into adopting a struggling school in the same way that he has.
“You need three things: a good leader, committed parents and a businessman to provide the support,” Gamel said.
So far, Gamel has paid for electronic devices, tutors and Saturday school. He has looked through Cole’s budget to offer ideas to help the school with money issues.
A few weeks ago, Gamel began to wonder how he could help during Christmas.
Cole serves a mostly poor and minority student population. More than 90 percent of the students are eligible for federal meal benefits, an indication of poverty. Teachers were lamenting that many students told them they weren’t going to get Christmas presents.
Gamel heard this and had another idea.
“Let’s give these kids Christmas,” he told Jason Janz, who along with Gamel formed a foundation to help the school.
“I asked him, ‘Do you mean a candy cane? Because if we give all of these kids presents, it will be $10,000 to $15,000,’ ” Janz said.
“He said, ‘Let’s do it,’ ” Janz said.
Janz and his wife began buying gifts from Wal-Mart — princess dresses, Tonka trucks, toy helicopters, baby dolls and MP3 players. There were 18 different types of gifts, one for each of the school’s 620 preschoolers through eighth-graders. Gifts filled six crates and were delivered by a semi and unloaded with a forklift. The total cost was $13,500.
Ten mothers spent two days to wrap every present — all of which were personalized. African-American girls received African-American dolls. Latina girls got Latina dolls.
“I was blown away by the generosity,” said Elena Saenz, a parent liaison who helped wrap the presents. “A lot of the families don’t have anything. The economy has hit them really hard. Husbands have lost their jobs as early as May and haven’t been able to find anything.”
Younger children got their presents earlier in the morning, along with a chance to sit on Santa’s lap. Joseph Hall, as Santa, did his part, but Gamel, in a hat that said “Santa’s Helper,” handed out the presents.
“Merry Christmas,” he said to each student.
“This helps out a lot,” said Laurentina Portugal, a single mom whose daughter is in preschool. She was going to wait until after her tax refund came next year to buy presents.
Her 4-year-old daughter, Salomae Nellis, asked for princess-themed presents, and Gamel gave her a box of princess dresses.
“She got a big old smile,” Portugal said. “It made me feel good to see my baby so happy.”
Later, Gamel teared up as he watched the children unwrap their presents all at once.
“Look at these kids’ faces,” he said. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 jpmeyer@denverpost.com
