[Valin]

From todays red Star Tribune.
School raises $1,091 for care packages

Published April 8, 2003


A small Catholic grade school south of the Twin Cities raised $1,091 in a "penny challenge" last week, with the money going for care packages to U.S. troops in Iraq.
"We were very, very surprised at how much money they raised," said Emily Casellius, a teacher at St. Mathias Catholic School in Hampton, in Dakota County southeast of Farmington.
The school has 57 students in kindergarten through fifth grades.

Each class in the school was given a pail, and children were encouraged to drop in pennies, but larger amounts were also accepted. Parents were very supportive, said Casellius, and the kindergarten class collected the most money.

The group that will receive the donation has not yet been selected, she said. The money will be used to prepare packages for the troops.
She said the teachers wanted to make students aware of the war and show them "there was something we something they could do to help."

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good article and good for St. Mathias Catholic School and it's teachers. It is so important that kids are taught about our military and what they do. The kids also need to be in on the buying and packing of things, like kleenex, and flea collars, and wet wipes, and toothpaste to help them understand the simple things they enjoy every day, that our troops don't. Thanks valin.