Junior High Students Make Toy Donations

by Jonathan Weaver

Before school was dismissed for Winter Break, Kittanning Junior High seventh-and eighth graders were doing some shopping — toward the national Toys for Tots campaign.

According to School Office Secretary, about 70 toys were donated by teachers, students and staff in the month of December.

Music and Band Teacher Denise Gamble also make a few donations and kept in contact with the local Marine Corp Reserve representative.

“This year, a Marine Corps Reserve gentlemen called our school and left a message with our guidance counselor – who sent a message to all of the teachers, faculty and staff,” Gamble said. “(Secretaries Kim Lasher and Debbie Fink) kept talking about it, I was thinking about it so we joined hands and coordinated (Art Teacher Val Fleeger).”

Art students made signs to post around the school encouraging donations.

Seventh Grader Michael Geiger donated some Legos and a Dora the Explorer game for children in need.

“I just told my mom that I wanted to donate. I thought it would be nice for people who don’t get toys – a way to give them a better Christmas,” Geiger said.

Eighth Graders Trista Bowser and Allison Hoyak also went shopping for gifts with generous amounts of money from their parents.

“The kids were super,” Fink said. “It was wonderful.”

To thank students for their two large boxes of donations, about 60 students were treated to an ice cream social Friday afternoon. Students ate about three-and-a-half gallons of vanilla ice cream - most of it covered in flavored syrup, with sprinkles or a chocolate chip cookie – , to which Gamble said they deserved the treat on the last day of classes.

“Over a fourth of the school, faculty and staff have contributed,” Gamble said. “It turned out really well. Sometimes, I hate to reward kids for the things they do for charity (but) I think they would’ve done it either way. They’re perfect – we have the best kids in the world here at this school.”

School Principal Kirk Lorigan also praised the efforts of the students that donated.

A year after being formed in 1995, In 1996, Marine Forces Reserve expanded Toys for Tots to cover all 50 states by authorizing selected Marine Corps League Detachments and selected local community organizations (generally veteran Marine), located in communities without a Marine Reserve Center, to conduct toy collection and distribution campaigns in their communities as part of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

According to the foundation’s website, the Marine Toys for Tots Program has distributed over 469 million toys to over 216 million less fortunate children, and has attracted fundraising through Toys R Us, Walgreens and basketball legend Shaquille O`Neal. Proctor and Gamble also committed to donate 1 million Duracell batteries