Clarke Kids Deliver For Veterans

This article was submitted by Clarke School's Diane O'Brien and Cathy Kalpin.


The fourth grade leaders at Clarke School did not have to think very long to decide on their service project for the month of October.  The students decided to collect items needed by our soldiers deployed overseas.  

They reached out to a Clarke School parent, Sgt Patrick Burke, who has been deployed since last Spring.  He skyped with the whole school during their October community meeting and shared some of the items they would love to get- like Marshmallow Fluff, baby wipes, coffee, etc.  

The students went to work creating posters to advertise, decorating bins to collect, talking it up among all the students and their families and writing letters of thanks to the soldiers to include with the items.

The results were incredible.  In a few short weeks they collected hundreds of items.

Another Clarke parent, Adam Baran, a G.E. employee, stepped up and offered to have colleagues at G.E.  help the school ship the items. They filled over 7 boxes weighing more than 200 lbs.  

It was a true community effort. The soldiers should be getting their care packages soon and the students are so excited to hear what Sgt Burke and his troops think.