Learning to lend a hand
Suzie Harrison
The good will of El Morro Elementary students filled the entire stage
of the school’s multipurpose room.
The Student Council decided to make a difference by collecting
goods for victims of the recent fires in San Diego. The idea caught
on and fellow students began donating what they could.
MacKenzie Hester, 10, who was appointed Student Council president
in the election three weeks ago, said that it was part of her
platform.
“We had to give speeches and I said that I would like to have a
fund-raiser but Mrs. Blanton had already started it,” MacKenzie said.
Mary Blanton is the student council advisor, helping the council
bring their ideas to fruition. She said students usually have service
projects targeted to help on a local, regional, national or
international level each year.
MacKenzie said she was thrilled to play a key role in the project
and appreciated the hard work by student council publicity
coordinator Brynn Zoellner, 10.
Brynn explained that teacher Blanton helped expedite the plan and
made fliers to pass out to each of the classes.
Brynn said she was hopeful that everyone was going to bring
donations and they had been getting a lot of student participation.
“I think they’re really happy about giving things to them,” Brynn
said.
MacKenzie said she felt good about the cause since people lost
their homes in the San Diego fires.
“They will be building new houses and we’re giving them things to
put in their new houses to start out,” MacKenzie. “I brought three
bags of books. We had a lot of younger kid’s books to give.”
She said it was a family affair with her aunt and uncle also
donating books and her Godmother giving clothes.
Brynn brought some Disney movies for younger children, as well as
some clothes.
“It felt good,” Brynn said. “Canned foods, Macaroni and Cheese,
working toys, stuffed animals, movies, books and a lot of clothes
were donated.”
Blanton said the donations of canned goods were given to Second
Harvest Food Bank.
“The household items, toys and clothing are being given to a
donation center set up specifically for those who live on the Indian
Reservation,” Blanton said. “That will be distributed on the Friday
following Thanksgiving.”
The response has been so great that they had to get a bigger truck
to put all of the donations in.
“We thought we would get about half as much as we did,” MacKenzie
said. “The whole stage was full -- it was really cool.”
Along with the goods they explained that they are sending a poster
board with council members signatures and heart decorations that
reads, “Our hearts are with you.”
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