CMS students drive to help their own for holidays

Central Middle School students, faculty and staff are on a mission to help their own this holiday season.

For the second year, the school will take donations for Thanksgiving baskets. Students are asked to donate food items for side dishes while adults will donate turkeys and hams. A new twist this year is a friendly competition between the halls in the school, said Library Media Specialist Lora Miller. The hallway that collects the most food items will be rewarded with a prize to be determined later, Miller said.

Food items will be collected between now and Nov. 15 and students will help assemble the items for collection or delivery the week of Nov. 18.

Last year the school delivered 55 such baskets, Miller said. She hopes to surpass that number this year. All the food baskets will go to families of Central Middle School students who might need a little extra help providing a Thanksgiving meal.

Community members also are invited to participate. Miller said the school will accept donations of hams, turkeys, items for side dishes, or money. Miller said Affordable Plumbing donated 12 turkeys last year.

The Thanksgiving basket drive does more than just help families with a meal, Miller said.

“I hope students learn about thinking about others,” Miller said. “I hope they feel good about helping their friends here at school.”