Students at Thrasher Elementary are really getting into the Christmas spirit this season, as evidenced by the unprecedented number of cans donated to the school’s food drive for Signal Mountain Social Services.
Carol Whitfield, the nonprofit service organization’s Thrasher Elementary representative, said food-sorting volunteers accounted for 3,665 cans donated this year. With 575 students at the school, she said this means around five to six cans were donated per child.
“We exceeded all our wildest dreams,” said principal Aimee Randolph. “We have had an abundance of sharing here in this community, and it just makes you feel good.”
Parent Jessie Lenuza, a newcomer to the Thrasher community, brought in suggestions from her child’s former school which Randolph and Whitfield said they felt contributed to the increase in donations this year.
“She had some fun ideas about how to motivate the kids,” said Whitfield, noting a pancake breakfast with the principal as a reward for the class donating the most cans.