There are moments in life when a single, little idea takes on a life of its own and grows to something unimaginable; something bigger than anyone could have ever expected.
But for this seed of an idea to grow it takes caring, compassion, and a community to raise it. And that is exactly what happened when Portage Community Schools decided to collect candy to send to to the troops.
“When we started this project to send candy over to the troops, we didn’t know what to expect,” Home School Advisor, Nicole Sliger told IIMM. “But the kids, and the community, have responded more than we could ever imagine.”
And it’s not just the parents of the kids, or the community that supports the schools coming together to buy candy and donate to the troops, Sliger says, the kids themselves are letting go of their Halloween hauls for a cause they know is a greater satisfaction than any Snickers could provide to them.
“It was great to see kids that even brought in their own halloween candy to send to the troops,” added Sliger. “But that also means there are some Dracula fangs and spider rings mixed about that we’re going to have to sort through.”
And through all of this, this growth of an idea into collected initiative, Sliger says one of the most rewarding things of this whole process has been to see the personal impact it makes on kids who have parents and relatives who are out serving our country.
“My dad was gone for 14 months and that was sad,” Portage High School Freshman, Grace Boyd said of her reasons for collecting and donating candy. “He missed all the holidays and our birthdays. He didn't get to go trick or treating with us, and that was really hard. But I am so proud of him for serving.”
“I liked the idea of collecting candy because so many parents are serving and didn't get to trick or treat with their kids,” added Cidney Vandiver, a 6th Grader at Fegely Middle School.
Now, with all this candy the kids have collected, packed with love and a community’s caring, Sliger says the schools are asking for one last collective effort of the community of Portage, a town that seems to always come together for each other: help make this idea a reality by finding a way to get all this candy to Operation Gratitude in California and into the hands of the troops.
“We are asking anyone who has an idea to get all of this candy to them to reach out to the schools and share their idea.”