Collecting Canisters For The Red Cross

By Eliza Hallabeck

In November members of the Kids Care Club at Hawley Elementary School were given canisters and pins from the American Red Cross Director of Development and Communications Nicole Arsenault. On Thursday, January 8, the students opened the canisters and learned more than $360 had been raised by giving the canisters to local businesses.

Since November the students brought the canisters around to local businesses to raise money for the Red Cross, and some students raised money for the organization by hosting individual events.

Local businesses and people who helped to raise money by hosting a Red Cross canister were Newtown Hardware, Dr Baum Orthodontics, Bagel Delight, Magic Garden, My Place Restaurant, Vasi’s Gymnastics, Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, Brunetti & Son’s Property Maintenance, Katherine’s Kitchen, Edmond Town Hall, W.I. Clark Company in Brookfield, IBM Corporation in Southbury, Universal Technical Institute of Massachusetts, and parents and staff at Hawley Elementary School.

Sydney Marino, a third grade student at Hawley, also raised more than $50 in one night by hosting two popcorn and movie nights at her home.

“Our kids are working hard in the community,” said Robin Salvati, one of the two leaders of the Kids Care Club, by e-mail.

The Kids Care Club at Hawley meets once a month after school, and members are from the third and fourth grades at the school. Past events the group participated in to help give back to its community include a toy drive, and working with social services to adopt a 13-year-old girl, according to Ms Salvati.