Crestview M.S. students' military drive raises 15,068 items for troops
OLIVESBURG ― Crestview Middle School's Student Council this school year picked up the school's military drive again after being off for a couple of years due to COVID and raised 15,068 items as a middle school for U.S. troops.
Each grade level has Cougar Challenge Teams within them that compete for a Cougar Challenge Award at the end of the school year.
"We have Community Service Challenges throughout the year that teams earn points for for their involvement in the challenge. Our first one this year was the Military Drive," said Amy Bays, Crestview Middle School seventh grade intervention specialist.
"We have several staff members that have either served, or have children that have served or are serving now. We also have many students who have relatives serving in the Guard. We felt it was necessary to showcase those who are fighting for our freedoms each day," she said.
The students collected toiletries, snack items, stationary, cards, drink packets and sugar packets. They raised a total of 15,068 items as a middle school, Bays said.
The Buckeye Military Moms group received the items, Bays said.
"They are a group from the Worthington, Ohio, area and are a member of the Blue Star Moms Affiliation. The Buckeye Military Moms have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. They support each other and their children while promoting patriotism. Their organization focuses on their mission every single day and will never, ever, forsake our troops, our veterans or the families of our Fallen Heroes," Bays added.
Service members overseas, especially from Ohio, will receive Crestview's donations.
The Buckeye Military Moms are creating boxes from the donations along with others to send for Christmas. First Vice-President Lynn Feldman is from the Mansfield area and she spoke with the students, shared letters and was excited about students' donations.
Bays said, "Overall, it is important for our students to be selfless. We want them to be able to put themselves in others' shoes and really think about how the donations are going to bring joy to others. There were many students who brought items in from their own home to put towards the donations and there isn't a better feeling knowing that they did that for someone else. We take for granted all of the amenities and items that we get to have on a daily basis. As small as a drink packet for a bottle of water will put a smile on their face. It is wonderful."
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Students collected toiletries, snacks, stationary, cards and more
