SALISBURY — Looking to give students a lesson on empathy while helping victims of hurricanes Milton and Helene, the Salisbury Elementary School’s Kids Club recently donated $325 to the Red Cross after a successful candy fundraiser.
“I was pretty proud about how much money we raised,” second-grader Anders Jansen said.
The Kids Club is a program for kindergartners through sixth-grader whose parents need before- or after-school child care, according to organizer Diane Appollini.
“We provide homework help, we do crafts, we cook, we have gym time, play time,” Appollini said.
Hurricane Helene hit in September followed by Milton in October. Florida was in the path of both storms with Helene also hitting North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. After striking Florida, Milton headed out to sea.
The storms caused massive damages and left many without power and other essentials.
“I feel good for the people who get this money and it feels good because they lost everything so they need help,” third-grader Evelyn Leeman said.
Appollini said the idea for the fundraiser came after seeing and reading reports of devastation following both storms.
“I asked myself what can I do to help these people,” Appollini said.
She said she decided to kill two birds with one stone by doing a fundraiser with her club, both raising money for the hurricane victims while teaching students a valuable lesson.
“It was all about teaching the kids about helping people that are less fortunate,” Appollini said.
Leeman said she could relate to hurricane victims after what happened to one of her relatives.
“My aunt’s house burned down while she was at work so she’s living at our house. Her cats got out,” Leeman said.
Students created posters urging their fellow classmates to bring a dollar to school in exchange for a piece of candy in order to help raise funds. She said kids were flooding her room looking for candy within the first day.
“I had a big water bottle and they were throwing dollars in there,” Appollini said.
The fundraiser ran for three weeks before ending on Oct. 30 with $325 in the bottle.
“It was amazing,” Appollini said.
Looking to visualize and celebrate what her students accomplished, Appollini did what many charities do.
“I said let’s make a make-believe check and have the kids take a picture,” Appollini said.Appollini said the PTA mailed in the money to the Red Cross hurricane relief effort on behalf of the club.
“We got back a nice thank you letter from the Red Cross,” Appollini said.