The Learning Center provides educational programs for students from age of 3 to 26 with moderate to severe impairments. With about 100 students enrolled, it serves the school districts of Bark River-Harris, Big Bay de Noc, Escanaba, Gladstone, Manistique, Mid Peninsula, Nah Tah Wahsh PSA and Rapid River. In addition to a dedicated facility on 18th Road in Wells Township, the Learning Center also has satellite classrooms at Lemmer Elementary School in Escanaba, the Escanaba Upper Elementary School and the Rapid River School.

Each child will be given a gift from the Rotary Club, whose members got together during their regular meeting time — Tuesday at noon — in the gym of the Learning Center to wrap all of the presents and tag them with the proper identification.

“The presents have been pre-identified for each student,” Rotary Club Secretary Mike Metivier said. “That’s important, because the kids, of course, are very individual in how they approach things, what they like and what they want.”

The Rotary Club bought the presents using money from the Rotary Trust, which also funds Camp Harstad and a couple other programs for children with special needs.

Escanaba Rotary Club members wrap gifts in the Learning Center gym on Tuesday. (R. R. Branstrom / Daily Press)

A Christmas party — with lunch for the kids and the gifts handed out by Learning Center Supervisor Tim Racicot as Santa Claus — is set for Tuesday.

“The parents appreciate it, the staff love to see it, and the kids are just super excited,” DSISD Superintendent Kristina Hansen said.

Though the wrapping this week and presentation next week are in the gym of the Learning Center, “those students (at the satellite classrooms) will also be able to get the presents next week as well,” Hansen said. “So we make sure that we get all of our Learning Center students included in the activity.”

The Learning Center at 5219 18th Road in Wells Township provides educational programs for students with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 26 and is run through the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District. (R. R. Branstrom / Daily Press)