Northeast Elementary School students collected an amazing 2,000 items for the needy during a recent food drive.
They presented the items Friday to the Rev. Don Foster, pastor of the Arma United Methodist Church and his wife, the Rev. Ellie Foster, pastor/director of Wesley House.
“You kids are great,” Rev. Don Foster told them. “I expected half this much.”
Coordinating the drive, which started Oct. 1, was Brandon Ivey, Pittsburg State University senior social work major. “I’m doing my practicum as a school social worker, and this drive was a community project for my class,” he said.
He explained that the drive was conducted as a competition between classes, based on points, with the winning class getting a pizza party.
“Students got one point for a can of food, two points for a box of dry food and three points for diapers,” Ivey said. “The response from the kids, their families and the teachers was amazing. We had parent-teacher conferences during October, and a lot of parents brought food along when they came for their conference. The goal was 1,600 items, and we got around 2,000.”
When results were tallied, there was a tie between Debbie Vanderpool’s kindergarten class and Stephanie Underwood’s fifth grade class. Ivey said that both classes will be treated to a pizza party.
Rev. Ellie Foster had planned on loading the collected items into her car, but that was impossible. “Collecting 2,000 items in a school this size is fantastic,” she said. She was especially pleased to see so many packages of diapers and baby formula.
“We have a couple of trucks we can use to haul things for you,” said Ronda Fincher, school principal. “The kids did a little better than we thought they would.”
Rev. Don Foster said that part of the food may be used for Christmas baskets prepared by the Arma United Methodist and St. Joseph’s Catholic Churches. A good part of it will also go to Wesley House, which has a food pantry that helps those in need throughout Crawford County.
“If you want to be great, you learn to serve, and that’s what you kids have done,” Rev. Foster said to the youngsters.
“I’m happy to join in this,” said Lily Pierce, a fifth grader. “I’m glad they got all this food.”
“I hope the little boys and little girls who don’t have any food will have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas,” added Evan Swezey, kindergarten student.
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Northeast Elementary School students collected an amazing 2,000 items for the needy during a recent food drive.
They presented the items Friday to the Rev. Don Foster, pastor of the Arma United Methodist Church and his wife, the Rev. Ellie Foster, pastor/director of Wesley House.
“You kids are great,” Rev. Don Foster told them. “I expected half this much.”
Coordinating the drive, which started Oct. 1, was Brandon Ivey, Pittsburg State University senior social work major. “I’m doing my practicum as a school social worker, and this drive was a community project for my class,” he said.
He explained that the drive was conducted as a competition between classes, based on points, with the winning class getting a pizza party.
“Students got one point for a can of food, two points for a box of dry food and three points for diapers,” Ivey said. “The response from the kids, their families and the teachers was amazing. We had parent-teacher conferences during October, and a lot of parents brought food along when they came for their conference. The goal was 1,600 items, and we got around 2,000.”
When results were tallied, there was a tie between Debbie Vanderpool’s kindergarten class and Stephanie Underwood’s fifth grade class. Ivey said that both classes will be treated to a pizza party.
Rev. Ellie Foster had planned on loading the collected items into her car, but that was impossible. “Collecting 2,000 items in a school this size is fantastic,” she said. She was especially pleased to see so many packages of diapers and baby formula.
“We have a couple of trucks we can use to haul things for you,” said Ronda Fincher, school principal. “The kids did a little better than we thought they would.”
Rev. Don Foster said that part of the food may be used for Christmas baskets prepared by the Arma United Methodist and St. Joseph’s Catholic Churches. A good part of it will also go to Wesley House, which has a food pantry that helps those in need throughout Crawford County.
“If you want to be great, you learn to serve, and that’s what you kids have done,” Rev. Foster said to the youngsters.
“I’m happy to join in this,” said Lily Pierce, a fifth grader. “I’m glad they got all this food.”
“I hope the little boys and little girls who don’t have any food will have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas,” added Evan Swezey, kindergarten student.
