Several activities have been planned to raise funds and collect toys and necessary items for those in need in the Harper Creek area. Many toys are needed for boys and girls ages 6 months to 18 years of age, as well as clothing, household items, personal hygiene items and non-perishable food items.
Friday, December 6th is the date for Harper Creek High School’s annual “Boot ‘Em to the Curb” event to support the school-wide Holiday Project. Boot ‘Em to the Curb consists of students donating $1 for each minute students want to send their teachers and administrators to the curb to stand out in the cold weather. While at the curb, staff members solicit additional donations from passersby. In addition, any community member can make donations either curb-side or at the high school to support the Holiday Project through December 6th. The most needed items are non-perishable food items, gift cards for groceries, money to purchase necessities for each family, and a toy for each child. The school utilizes the money collected during the Boot ‘Em event to purchase warm coats, hats, and gloves for each child.
This year, Harper Creek has adopted twenty-six families through the Santa’s Helper program. Each adopted family will receive a turkey; boxes of non-perishable food; household items; warm coats, hats, and mittens; as well as toys for the children. Classroom teachers, student senate, administration building staff, counselors, sporting teams, DECA, the high school secretarial staff, the Harper Creek Optimist, and many other groups each adopt a family to support. Each group donates, shops, wraps gifts, and delivers the donated goods to the families. It’s not just the high school involved though. The middle school and Sonoma Elementary also conduct food drives, while Wattles Park Elementary plants to hold a toy drive on December 3rd. All of the families sponsored in the Holiday Project live in or have students attending school in the Harper Creek district.
Adaline Rocco, DECA VP of Operations, stated, “The holiday project is an awesome opportunity to give during the holiday season, and it makes you feel good to help out those in need.
“Our goal is to involve the community and to raise awareness of the needs in our community,” added Peyton Bess, DECA VP of Public Relations.
Debbie Look, a retired Harper Creek teacher, organizes the project and organizes the non-perishable food collection, while Student Services Secretary Pam Schmanske organizes the purchasing of turkeys for each family. Co-advisors of Student Senate, Becky Gardner and Heather Seeberger, help their students organize the Boot ‘Em event, collecting and counting money, and purchasing warm coats for each child. Officers of DECA are responsible for promoting the project.
If you would like more information on the Holiday Project or would like to make a donation, please contact the high school office at 269-441-8410.