BITTERROOT VALLEY — Kindergarteners through fourth grade students in Corvallis and Florence have been competing in a coin drive to support local non-profit Loads of Dignity which offers free laundry and shower services in the Bitterroot.
“We dropped them in this like tank. It's down there at the office," Florence first grade student Mabel told MTN.
The kids are eager to participate and excited to give for many reasons.
Many Florence students shared that giving to charity makes them happy and that they want to continue supporting others in the future.
“The one little boy bought, brought like $40 in and I'm like, buddy, does your mom know about this? And he was like, no and my dad does. I'm like, how about you give five and the rest of it can go back in your backpack," Loads of Dignity board member and Corvallis early kindergarten teacher Jamie Pool detailed.
Corvallis fourth grade student Breia Borden added, “It feels nice because we're helping our community with it growing and people being happy together”
It might be Florence versus Corvallis to see who can raise the most money for Loads of Dignity, but the two schools are actually working together in the long run, raising all the funds for their community.
“It's something bigger than just our school and our students and our teachers. It's, it's for the entire community," Pool said.
Florence first grade teacher Lisa Verlanic found Loads of Dignity on Facebookand decided to show her support.
“This family, they had two little boys and the mom was pregnant and I just, you know, felt compelled to help," Verlanic said. "As I'm picking up these items, there was a teacher from Florence who saw me and she said I'll donate. Then, I'm checking out and this lady hears me talking about it to my teacher friend and she swipes her card and says I want to pay for part of it."
Both teachers want their students to finish this coin drive with the understanding that helping people in need is an important virtue to have.
“Getting us all involved like helping, having teachers to be involved, having kids to understand that not everybody has money to wash their clothes and that they need support,” said Pool.
“I'd like to do anything I could to help [Loads of Dignity]. And even if it's just, you know, if they think, oh, some kids in Florence care about me. I want the unhoused people to know they matter,” expressed Verlanic
Corvallis raised over $,1000 on its own last year.
This year’s coin drive with Florence finishes this Friday and both schools can’t wait to see how much is donated.
