Classroom lesson spreads the spirit of giving

Following are comments from students in Mrs. Stacy Crabb's fourth-grade class at Superior Elementary about this year's Christmas shopping trip to benefit local families in need.

"I thought of kids getting that feeling of joy seeing a present under the tree". - Alli Parks

"It makes me so happy". - Braydon Graham

"It was lots of fun and amazing. I loved the thought that these little things would change someone's Christmas, and I loved seeing all the coins we raised. And I loved shopping". -Mataea Schultz

"The shopping trip was really fun, and I felt really good buying those toys for the children". - Dallas Beierle

"I am so lucky that I got to do it and as I was walking through the store, I thought about how happy the kids were going to be when they got the presents. It was also really, really, really, fun". - Brylin Allard

"I thought it was for a great cause and a moving way to help the community". - Rose Moree

"It makes me feel warm when I do something kind for someone else". - Emmett Firestone

"I really loved to buy things for people in need". - Kori Pearce

"I'm so glad that we got to shop for kids in need with the support of the community". - Harper Frawley

Crabb has been doing this with her students for so long that she can't remember when this began.

 "It has probably been at least 12 years. I have always had a project similar to this to help kids learn the joy of providing service to others," she reflects. "I used to work with Women in Timber to purchase gifts for their gift-giving project that they did with the Lion's Club food baskets. Now, the Lion's Club and other volunteers purchase the gifts and food baskets that are delivered."

There are a lot of moving parts to this charitable action each year that begins just before Thanksgiving.

"My students decorate coin cans to distribute to each classroom and several businesses in the community," Crabb explained. "We ask those students from pre-K through 6th to donate spare change or whatever they would like to offer. After about two weeks, the cans are collected, and Trail's West Bank graciously counts the money collected and records the total for each class. This year, $1,400.65 was raised. Our fourth-grade class raised the most at $213.55, but the ice cream party will go to Ms. Nygaard's third-grade class who raised the second most, which was $157.29."

Last Monday afternoon, the fourth-grade class took to the streets of Superior on a mission of making their friends Christmas a little more festive.

"Although there would be more options at stores in Missoula, I take the opportunity to talk with the kids about the economy and how this project puts money back into the community," she said. 

Her students were taken into Darlow's Quality Foods or Mineral Pharmacy in groups of three or four along with an adult chaperone. They were told that they were welcome to choose anything they would like for infants through 18-year-olds, male or female, and each student had $66 to spend. They hit a bonanza at the pharmacy which was offering 40% off toys.

"The kids must use math concepts like rounding and
adding to select their items without going over their allotted amount. This project provides many cross-curricular opportunities for learning," she explained.

Crabb's students do not know who they are shopping for. They have their budget, age-range and are instructed to have fun. 

"The gifts are for children across Mineral County whose families have turned in the application with the Lion's Club requesting the gift/food delivery," she said. "Once the shopping is done, we deliver the purchases to a volunteer. This year it was Jennifer Donovan at the Mineral County Health Department. She is coordinating the wrapping and delivery process. In years past, I worked with members of Women in Timber, like Ruthie Warnken and Linda Christopherson.
More recently, Steve and Peggy Temple have helped with the coordination."

The Lions have three to four delivery groups, each with a Santa and elves to take the goodies to the families between Alberton and Saltese which was done on Dec. 21, the Saturday before Christmas every year.

    The Mineral Pharmacy was a hotspot for toy shopping last week for Stacy Crabb's fourth-grade students at Superior Elementary. Each student had $66.00 to spend from money raised in the community the last month for this annual gift-giving event. (Photo provided)
  

    Fourth-grade students check out at Mineral Pharmacy after shopping for items to donate to local families. (Photo provided)
  

    Each student had $66 to spend from money raised in the community the last month. (Photo provided)