PORT ANGELES — Roosevelt Elementary students, staff and families will gather donations next week for the school’s Annual Holiday Drive to help Roosevelt families in need.
The drive at the Port Angeles elementary school will begin Monday and end the following Friday.
“We’ll collect non-perishable food items, children’s books, toiletries, winter clothing and financial donations for hams or turkeys for the food baskets,” said teacher and organizer Kelly Sanders.
Sanders hopes to be able to provide each of more than 60 families with a box of food — including a turkey or ham — as well as children’s books and warm clothing.
“Left-over food and items will go to local charities, and extra books will be saved for our summer reading program,” she said.
“Last year, we used up basically every item that came in for our own school families.”
Staff and students will be divided into three teams for this year’s drive: Red, Blue and Green teams.
The winning team earns board game time in the gym.
Students will bring their items to color-coded tables in the gym before school each morning of the drive.
Parent and staff volunteers, as well as some sixth graders, will collect, count, and organize food and other items into boxes from
7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. each day.
Students will receive a raffle ticket for every five items they bring in, and a drawing will take place each morning at 8 for prizes.
The top three donating classrooms will win a popcorn and movie party.
A special certificate will be given to any class with 100 percent participation in the food drive.
“This is meant to encourage all students to participate and experience the joy of giving, whether it’s just returning their six books for summer, or bringing a coat they’ve outgrown or a package of ramen,” Sanders said.
Community members also can make donations of either items or cash, delivering them to the school’s office at 106 Monroe Road.
Checks should be written to Roosevelt PTO.
For more information, email Sanders at ksanders@portangelesschools.org.
