First-grade students at McVay Elementary raised $4,000 last week to purchase clothes and toys for children in the Westerville Caring and Sharing program.
The annual fundraiser and service-learning project — now in its tenth year — featured Spare Change Week, where students donated change throughout the week (pennies and nickels on Monday, dimes on Tuesday, quarters on Wednesday and dollars on Thursday).
On Friday, Dec. 3, first-graders organized a General Store sale and sold pre-packaged baked goods, small toys and crafts to all the students in the school. The fundraiser culminated with a raffle, with 175 students winning prizes donated by McVay families, staff, and friends. Cheryl's Cookies donated 200 cookies for the event.
Through their fundraising efforts, the first-graders bought gifts for 35 children and five senior citizens as well as gift cards for 11 teenagers. This week, 30 students shopped at Target Easton after school with their parents, volunteers and teachers Lisa Dapoz, Joselyn Wagner, Nicole Garcia and Liv Bechtel.
Dapoz said the first-graders learned about money concepts, needs and wants, advertising, and what the holidays are all about: caring and sharing.