Each year, Flat River Outreach Ministries works to ensure all Lowell residents have the happiest of holidays. In addition to a special food distribution, the community non-profit offers a Christmas Toy Store where parents can shop for free toys and gift items to put under the tree for their children.
Among the many people helping to make this year’s program a success are the members of the Cherry Creek Elementary School Early Act Club. Sponsored by the Lowell Rotary Club, Early Act is an elementary program that encourages students to think about how they can make a positive difference in their school, the community and the world.
School-wide Toy Drive a Success
Once students had settled on the toy drive as a community service project, their advisor, teacher Joseph Audia, contacted FROM to confirm the details.
“Joseph Audia…reached out to me a month or so ago to let me know they were collecting toys,” says Arianne Hall, development director for FROM. “He asked if the group could drop the toys off and also take the time to learn more about FROM, which we said ‘of course!’”
The Early Act students then made a commercial to invite their classmates to participate and collected toys and games through Dec. 5. The Cherry Creek Elementary community rose to the occasion and donated 128 items during the drive. On Dec. 6, club members boarded a bus and took everything to FROM.
“We had a great time talking about how generosity has no age requirement, and this was a perfect example,” Hall says. “The more than 100 toys dropped off by the students will touch a number of families in our community this year.”
Of course, the toy drive is only one of several projects undertaken by the Early Act Club. They have also restarted a paper recycling program that went on hiatus during the pandemic and have contributed to 47 microloans through the website Kiva. In total, the Cherry Creek Early Act Club has helped fund 921 loans since 2013, helping approximately 6,000-7,000 people living in extreme poverty.
“The Rotary Club of Lowell is immensely proud of Mr. Audia and his efforts with the 23 students that choose to give up a recess once a week to participate in Early Act Club,” says Amanda Rogers, treasurer for the Lowell Rotary Club. “Through his leadership, they live out the Rotary motto: ‘Service above Self’ for their school, community, and the world.”
To learn more about the Cherry Creek Early Act Club, visit their webpage.
All photos courtesy of Lowell Area Schools.
Leave a Reply