PORT ANGELES — Roosevelt Elementary students, staff and families held a holiday drive last week that gathered over 10,000 items for families in need.
“This year’s holiday drive was a record-breaking success,” said teacher and organizer Kelly Sanders. “Roosevelt students and staff brought in 10,030 items, including food, clothing, books, and toiletries, and dollars to purchase turkeys and other food items. The Roosevelt PTO donated $500 and concert concessions also contributed funds.”
“It has been incredibly heartwarming to see long lines of children eagerly donating items to help others,” Sanders said, “and hearing from parents that some kids even emptied their own piggy banks to help purchase food. Dozens of students waved pompoms and jingled bells to cheer on our food drive each morning. The spirit of giving is part of our Roosevelt culture.”
Roosevelt sixth-graders organized and sorted the donations into boxes for 68 Roosevelt families who have requested food.
As in the past “drives,” there were incentives and fun competition to encourage donations.
Staff and students were divided into three teams — red, blue and green — for this year’s drive.
The red team was the overall winner of board game time in the gym.
The top three donating classrooms, the winners of a popcorn and movie party, were the classes of Kelly Sanders (sixth grade), Karen Doran (fifth/sixth grade), and Bill Prorok (sixth grade).
Sanders’ classes collected 1,153 items. Doran’s classes brought in 913 items and Prorok’s collected 814.
Thirteen classrooms earned certificates for 100 percent student participation in the food drive.
The classes of Erika Kuch, Kelly Sanders, Jody Adams, Sharon Fritschler, Karen Doran, Jennifer Reynolds, Martinia Benoit, Bill Prorok, Geff Cobb, Molly Hibler, Tiffinny Blore, Jan VanRossen and Kathy Fors each received certificates.
