For the week of Dec 26, 2001 - Jan 1, 2002

Children make Christmas come true

Valley students collect 
food, clothing, toys

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By PETER BOLTZ
Express Staff Writer

Children of the Community School and Wood River Middle School united on Dec. 19 in making Christmas possible for many people who have less than they do.

Pupils from Pat Stansberry’s third-grade class load up Bob Doyle’s pickup truck with toys, food and clothing for less fortunate children. The project is part of their community service at the Community School. Express photo by David N. Seelig

Pat Stansberry’s third-graders spent the morning last week at the Community School loading history teacher Bob Doyle’s truck with food, clothing and new toys.

Sara Shafer, a seventh-grade teacher from the Wood River Middle School, oversaw a group of seventh- and eighth-graders who unloaded the goods at a warehouse behind Paul’s Market rented by Community Holiday Gift Baskets.

Heather Gillespie, president of the nonprofit Gift Baskets, was at the warehouse, helping to coordinate volunteers delivering goods and packing gift baskets in boxes decorated with Christmas wrapping.

She said she was impressed with the work done by Stansberry’s and Shafer’s students. Students from the Wood River High School and Hemingway Elementary were also part of the collection effort.

India Emerick, 8, who’s in Stansberry’s class, said she felt good about her community service.

"We had to earn the money we used to buy toys for the needy," she said. "I hope they get all the toys and presents they like for Christmas."

Dane Inman, 8, also in Stansberry’s class, said his class also did community service after the Sept. 11 attack.

"We gave (stuffed toys) and wrote letters to children who lost their dads."

Stansberry said her class sent toys and letters to 19 families.

Doyle, who is also the community service director for the Community School, said the school’s third-graders have been collecting food, toys and clothing for Christmas since 1994.

 

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