High school club making holidays extra special for struggling local family

A group of Colorado Springs high school students is showing its holiday spirit by paying it forward.

Palmer High School’s Pay It Forward Club adopted a family in need this holiday season.

“The daughter is our age, so we decided we had a bit of a personal tie with her,” Club Co-President Lee Jones said.

Cruzita Martin and her teen daughter Nina Diaz, are the “adopted” family. Martin said this last year has been difficult for them. She lost loved ones, her job and her home. For months, the two were living at hotels. Martin now has a job and home for herself and her daughter. And thanks to the Pay It Forward Club, they had Thanksgiving together at home as a family.

“To take time out of their (family) to come and provide for mine, I can’t even express it in words,” she said.

Now, the club is looking ahead toward Christmas. They’re raising money to give them dinner and presents. Since the family doesn’t have a car, the students would like to raise enough money to buy them one.

For Martin and Diaz, the help has been inspiring.

“All I can say is thank you so much,” Diaz said. “This year I know, and every year to come, I’ll be giving back to the community a lot more.”