SEBRING, Ohio – Students and faculty at Sebring’s B.L. Miller Elementary School, along with the support of many community partners and families, are providing 42 local families with food and supplies during their annual Christmas Basket Drive.
Of those families, 108 children will benefit from the drive and will also receive gifts to add under the tree.
Since November, students, families and staff have been contributing food items daily to the drive. The sixth grade student senate and third grade classes have been collecting the items, and the third-graders tallied and graphed them daily. The elementary group that contributed the most received a candy party sponsored by Partners in Education.
Laundry baskets filled with household items and overflowing boxes of food lined the elementary hallways, and Sebring teachers, staff, family members and community volunteers helped deliver them Friday, the last day of school before winter break.
“Our goal is to provide food to support our families in keeping our kids’ bellies full over the winter break, a time when finances are tight and there are more mouths to feed,” said Leann Laure, a third grade teacher at Sebring who leads the drive.
Laure initiated the effort with her parents 30 years ago, after her first year of teaching in the district. She recalls putting together baskets for eight families the first year, and credits the helping hands of many who have contributed to its success.
“I say it every year, and I will say it again – we could not provide all that we do for our families if not for the support of all of our very generous individuals, businesses and organizations,” Laure said. “We are so blessed to have and retain their support each year. So many hands go into helping make this monthlong initiative happen and, as a result, we’re able to bless so many families.”
Household items included shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, body wash, deodorant, laundry soap and dish soap. There are food items for holiday cooking and everyday meals for families, including milk, bread, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, poptarts, eggs, stuffing, sugar, flour, turkey pans, potatoes, turkey bags, hot dogs, spaghetti sauce, brownie mix and pancakes.
In addition to food, household items and gifts, hats and gloves will also be distributed to all families who requested them.
CREDIT: Sebring Local Schools.
Pictured at top: Front row, from left, are Leann Laure, a Sebring third grade teacher; Lynn Chiu, intervention specialist; and Les Weibush, volunteer. Back row, from left, are Morgan Kincaid, student teacher; Macagey Laure, volunteer; and Kathy Schroeder, district tutor.