Students in Cindy Stokowski’s third grade class from Chester Elementary School delivered over 400 items for the Soldiers Home in Holyoke. They sang to the soldiers when they made their delivery. (Photo submitted)
CHESTER – Board games, decks of cards, reading glasses, and 100s of personal care items were collected in a community-wide effort led by the third grade at Chester Elementary School.
Teacher Cindy Stokowski reported that over 400 items had been collected by the students, school families and the wider community. A check for $300 was also anonymously donated to be used to purchase new bingo cards, which was one of the requests made by the soldiers.
Students delivered the items to the Soldiers Home on December 19, and residents gathered as students sang to them. “It is important to show that we care for other people,” said Olivia Kanner, one of the third graders. “I felt like the soldiers really felt that we did care about them.”
Sam Slattery said that it felt really great to help the soldiers, because they have also helped us.
Stokowski reported that many of the students had mentioned how great it felt to see the soldiers reaction while students were singing. “Seeing the people at the Soldiers Home smiling meant a lot to me,” Tori Brakey recalled.
“This far outreached our little school,” said Stokowski, who noted that the project had gained the attention of many people outside of the elementary school. “We want to thank everybody who helped us.”
