CONNOR TWP, Maine — Pre-kindergarteners to sixth graders at Connor Consolidated School came together to collect enough to fill eight overflowing boxes of food and necessities to donate to community members in need during the holiday season.
Reta Greenier, who teaches special education for kindergarten through grade six pupils, along with Marion Lugdon, who teaches grades four through six, led the project this year.
Greenier said the boxes contained mittens, scarves, blankets, a turkey, and five pounds of potatoes along with canned goods, sweet treats, soups, vegetable, and even cereal.
The class that brings in the most items from home is supposed to be rewarded with an ice cream party, however Lugdon said that all the students will get ice cream during the celebration.
“You guys can’t tell anyone else about this,” Lugdon said to six students in a room where the boxes were stored after being packed on Dec. 18, “but everyone will get ice cream during the party.”
Preparation for the boxes takes about “two to three weeks,” according to Greenier. Once packed, the boxes are taken directly to families in need during the holiday season.
“We have a list of families,” she said, “and if we have a really large family, or someone lost their job or is struggling, [school staff] brings the boxes to them.”
Lugdon said the event is a great way to encourage “community spirit for all of us,” adding that “it’s great that the kids think of doing this for others.”
Sixth grader Nick Anderson said he’s been a part of the food donation project for the last two years and donated some non-perishable items to the cause.
“I think we did good,” Anderson said.
Anderson’s classmate Chantelle Babin said she enjoys getting the food together and that it’s important for people to get the food.
“I think we did it for the last two years and I’ve enjoyed it,” Babin said. “It was really fun,” adding that she would do it again.
Connor student Alexis King said she enjoyed the time she was able to spend with her classmates while packing the boxes.
“I loved doing it with my friends because we got to spend some time with them,” she said.
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- Connor Consolidated School teachers and students pose next to eight boxes of food and supplies that will be delivered directly to families in need during the holiday season. Those pictured, from the left, are K-6 special education teacher Reta Greenier, Nick Anderson, Chantelle Babin, Allie Johnsonroy, Jeremy Martin, Jayden Edgecomb, Alexis King, and Marion Lugdon, who teaches grades four through six. (Christopher Bouchard)
