• Funds were raised through Candy Gram sales and a cash drive.
Etna Elementary students raised $1700 during a fundraiser in March and donated all proceeds to the Alpine Food Bank. Organized by the EES Student Council, the drive encouraged students to purchase and send Candy Grams to fellow students during Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Candy Grams are notes of kindness and friendship with a treat attached. Students purchased and sent Candy Grams all week, and every student in the school received at least one Candy Gram.
EES Student Council member, Abigail Bentlage, commented to school administrators, “It was amazing seeing so many kids come and buy Candy Grams for not only kids they know, but for other kids that they don’t know very well. It spread kindness all over the school and raised money for a good cause.”
In addition to the Candy Gram drive, students also held a Coin War in which 4th, 5th and 6th grade students battled to raise the most cash for the fundraiser. The 6th grade won the contest, and they were treated to ice cream by Principal David Saltzman.
Titan Titensor, who also serves on the Student Council said, “Love means more than friendship. It is helping others go through hard times. Giving Candy Grams to everyone in the school was showing friendship to all.”
Clara Robinson, with the Student Council, added, “It’s just really cool that we made so much money because I volunteer at the food bank so I know where all that money’s going.”
The Alpine Food Bank expressed gratitude to the students for their generosity and awareness of those in need.
“The Alpine Food Bank is very impressed with the efforts made by the students at Etna Elementary,” said Andrea Burchard, Food Bank Administrator. “They went above and beyond with their fundraiser and each and every student should be proud. We are grateful for the donation and will put it to good use. We loved seeing how excited the kids were when they told us about how they’d raised the funds! Learning the importance of caring for your community and giving back at the elementary level will build a future generation of amazing adults with strong values – we can’t wait to see what they do!”
