Head O' Meadow Elementary School kindergarten students sorted through prepared gift bags to find just the right presents for their loved ones, on December 13. The school's annual Holiday Giving Shop allows students to shop for gifts while raising money for three charities.

Julia Conlin was the PTA's chair for the event. Parent volunteers dressed in festive sweaters and shirts helped students check their lists to make sure they found presents for everyone, helped students pay for and wrap the presents, and they helped students vote to give part of their gift money to one of three charities.

Ms Conlin explained each gift bag was $4, and for each bag sold, $1 of the $4 went to a charity. Money raised from this year's Holiday Giving Shop will go to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, FAITH Food Pantry, and the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots program. For each gift the students purchased, they received one bead - representing $1 - that they could then put in one of three containers to have the money given to one of the three charities.

Last year's Holiday Giving Shop raised $575 for the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation, $415 for Toys For Tots, and $280 for FAITH Food Pantry.

Classes rotated through the Holiday Giving Shop, which was set up behind the curtains of the school's cafetorium stage. Included in gift bags this year were filled with mints, a stuffed animal, ice scrapers, candies, chocolates, gardening gear, hot cocoa, and dog and cat treats.