Northwest Elementary faculty organize three drives for food and treats

From left, Northwest Elementary School students Kalynn Robinette, 5; Omar Perdomo, 5; Jeryd Buglovsky, 9; Nanekah Haskins, 9; A.T. Williams, 9; Kaeden Robinette, 5; and Quin Giffen, 5, sit in front of the 220 bags of Halloween candy donated by students at the school. The candy will be sent to soldiers overseas.
(Geoff Rands/Democrat-News)

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School Counselor Nancy Kleinschmidt asked Northwest Elementary students to bring in "spare Halloween candy" that would be donated to troops overseas, and, though some might find it surprising, she ended up with 220 brown paper lunch bags filled with candy.

Students decorated the bags with pictures and words, some wishing soldiers a happy Halloween, others thanking them for "saving our country" and others simply stating, "You are a hero!"

These bags of "treats for troops" will be sent to Missouri Valley College students and alumni serving overseas along with care packages put together at MVC in an effort headed by history professor Tamara King, said Northwest Elementary Principal Janine Machholz.

Other Halloween goodies are also displayed inside the front door of Northwest Elementary, but these are a little less sugary.

MVC's wrestling team took to the streets on Halloween evening to knock on doors and trick-or-treat -- for canned goods.

The effort was sparked by Machholz's remark to her husband, MVC Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Mike Machholz, that approximately two-thirds of her students are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program.

Missouri Valley College wrestlers display some of the 1,652 food items collected on Halloween for Northwest Elementary School families.
(Contributed Photo)

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The food collected, of which there were 1,652 items, said Janine, will go to help the families of Northwest students, and she has already contacted four families who will receive food soon.

She added that these families will be able to select what food they receive.

Any excess food, she said, will go to Marshall's Community Food Pantry.

During Red Ribbon Week, held the week of Oct. 26, when students commonly wear specific pieces or styles of clothing to show that they are drug-free, Kleinschmidt challenged them to bring canned food in what she called "I can, you can, we can be drug-free."

In this effort, students brought 250 items to school, all of which were donated to the Community Food Pantry, said Janine.

Contact Geoff Rands at marshallreporter@socket.net