Little helpers deliver for Rescue Mission

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

struthers

Santa didn’t

travel by sleigh to get to Struthers Elementary School on Friday morning — he arrived by firetruck.

In another nontraditional twist, he didn’t bring presents. Instead, the school’s 700 children in kindergarten through fourth grade, all dressed in their favorite pajamas, had toys and food waiting for him.

Crowded together in the school’s main hall and on the second-floor balcony, the kids gave him a very loud welcome.

They thanked him, too, for being there to help them deliver 20 large barrels full of toys and food to the

Rescue Mission of the

Mahoning Valley. Four designated fourth-graders spoke for the school.

“Santa, you are our role model, and you have helped us understand that giving is better than receiving,” said Giavanna Lorubbio.

For two weeks, said school Principal Maggie Kowach, the kids brought in donations for the Rescue Mission.

“We want you to give them to those who do not have as much as we have,” Tessa Stocker told Santa.

“We had so much fun watching the barrels and boxes fill up with food and toys,” said Brandon Breznai.

“Thank you, Santa, for showing us how exciting it is to share,” said Brandon Hill.

The school has invited Santa to help with Rescue Mission donations for the past five years.

“We appreciate it,” said Lynn Wyant, development manager for the shelter, which serves families with children. Twenty kids from newborn to high-school age are staying there now, she said.

Wyant and others from the shelter were waiting until the kids finished a sing-along with the Starlight Singers, a high-school choral group who entertained with Christmas carols. Then, they were going to load the donations onto a large box truck.

“They fill our truck,” Wyant said, adding that the shelter would set up the donated toys as if they were in a store and invite parents staying there to shop for their children. “Winter Wonderland” shopping is today.

After the sing-along, the children went back to their classrooms, where they were treated to visits from Santa and presents from the PTA.

Before they left, Kowach presented the gifts to the shelter. The kids learned the true meaning of Christmas, she said.