Learning to lend a hand

Suzie Harrison

The good will of El Morro Elementary students filled the entire stage

of the school’s multipurpose room.

The Student Council decided to make a difference by collecting

goods for victims of the recent fires in San Diego. The idea caught

on and fellow students began donating what they could.

MacKenzie Hester, 10, who was appointed Student Council president

in the election three weeks ago, said that it was part of her

platform.

“We had to give speeches and I said that I would like to have a

fund-raiser but Mrs. Blanton had already started it,” MacKenzie said.

Mary Blanton is the student council advisor, helping the council

bring their ideas to fruition. She said students usually have service

projects targeted to help on a local, regional, national or

international level each year.

MacKenzie said she was thrilled to play a key role in the project

and appreciated the hard work by student council publicity

coordinator Brynn Zoellner, 10.

Brynn explained that teacher Blanton helped expedite the plan and

made fliers to pass out to each of the classes.

Brynn said she was hopeful that everyone was going to bring

donations and they had been getting a lot of student participation.

“I think they’re really happy about giving things to them,” Brynn

said.

MacKenzie said she felt good about the cause since people lost

their homes in the San Diego fires.

“They will be building new houses and we’re giving them things to

put in their new houses to start out,” MacKenzie. “I brought three

bags of books. We had a lot of younger kid’s books to give.”

She said it was a family affair with her aunt and uncle also

donating books and her Godmother giving clothes.

Brynn brought some Disney movies for younger children, as well as

some clothes.

“It felt good,” Brynn said. “Canned foods, Macaroni and Cheese,

working toys, stuffed animals, movies, books and a lot of clothes

were donated.”

Blanton said the donations of canned goods were given to Second

Harvest Food Bank.

“The household items, toys and clothing are being given to a

donation center set up specifically for those who live on the Indian

Reservation,” Blanton said. “That will be distributed on the Friday

following Thanksgiving.”

The response has been so great that they had to get a bigger truck

to put all of the donations in.

“We thought we would get about half as much as we did,” MacKenzie

said. “The whole stage was full -- it was really cool.”

Along with the goods they explained that they are sending a poster

board with council members signatures and heart decorations that

reads, “Our hearts are with you.”