Mt. Vernon Register-News

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November 10, 2012

Students collect and donate food and items to homeless shelter

Staff Report CNHI

MT. VERNON — MT. VERNON — For much of the current school year, students at Saint Mary School have been collecting and donating food and other needed items to help children and families at the Lifeboat Alliance Homeless Shelter.

Second-grade teacher Stacy Spotanski is one of the organizers of the ongoing drives to help those in need. She says the 140 students at the preK-8 grade school are learning about the importance of giving.

Especially when they make deliveries to the shelter.

“They know they are collecting but it’s not until they get to the shelter that they really understand — here’s a room without a TV that someone is staying it. They’re learning about giving to people and how much we can take for granted,” Spotanski said.

The collection drive began in late September and has been ongoing since. Each week, students will collect food or materials based upon the need at the shelter. This week they are collecting boxed drinks that can go into dry storage and individual packets of lemonade or fruit juice that are mixed with water.

How long the drive will continue is open, she said, adding that next week the drive will likely shift to another needed item. The students have also been making sandwiches for residents at the shelter every other Friday, or Fulfilling Fridays as the school calls it, Spotanski said.

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