GOOD NEWS: East Valley Students Send Candy To Troops Overseas
INDIO – Sandra Danciger was not sure what to expect when she asked students at Amelia Earhart Elementary School to donate their Halloween candy.
“As Iwas drinking my coffee,” she says, “I thought if every kid brought in a piece of candy, we’d have a nice little box to send off to the troops.”
Close to 300 pounds of treats were collected. The students say they did not think twice about sharing their candies with the troops or with the Afghan kids.
“They don’t have homes to trick or treat,” says fifth-grader Nick Merkin.
Another student Tony Boetto added: “And they don’t have enough money to buy bags of candy to give out.”
Included in those care packages were stuffed animals and encouraging notes.
The school teamed up with FedEx to deliver the goods. FedEx was more than happy to do this. The company says you learn a lot from this type of outpouring.
“It’s one of those things: When you see kids give back to the country, every little thing you can give is outstanding,” says Bobb Boetto, of FedEx. “It makes you feel good about what you do everyday.”
The boxes are headed first to the FedEx office in Palm Springs. On Wednesday, they will be delivered to the Army National Guard in Van Nuys. From there, they are going to Afghanistan.
FedEx says it will take two days to reach their final destination.
Ms. Danciger says students are taught to think globally — to help others beyond borders. Judging by the amount of boxes being shipped overseas, the students proved they were thinking beyond themselves.
