Wingate Elementary’s annual CANuary a success
PHOTOS PROVIDED The assembled donations for Wingate Elementary’s CANuary event are pictured.
PHOTOS PROVIDED Howard Troop 353 Scouts delivered the donations to the Milesburg Food Pantry.
PHOTOS PROVIDED The assembled donations for Wingate Elementary’s CANuary event are pictured.
PHOTOS PROVIDED Howard Troop 353 Scouts delivered the donations to the Milesburg Food Pantry.
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MILESBURG -- CANuary has been a long-standing tradition for over 20 years with its inception at Wingate Elementary.
Cindy Clark, a former Wingate Elementary reading specialist, started this giving project in 2001. Upon Clark's retirement in 2005, Jodie Franks (former first-grade teacher) and Carrie Swanger became the organizers of the annual event. Due to retirements and staff changes, Swanger is now the head coordinator of the annual event. In addition, many other Wingate Elementary staff members continue to help make this project a success over the years.
This year, Wingate students have been more empowered in the process of the giving project. Swanger has delegated the student classrooms to be responsible for placing their donations on stage giving them more accountability in the project. Students eagerly await for the stage to be filled with donations for the Milesburg Food Pantry.
The district-wide PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) coaches in recent years have adopted this giving project at each Bald Eagle Area Elementary School.
The PBIS team created spirit weeks to encourage the students to celebrate each day of giving with a theme of donations to bring and a coordinating dress-up day. Each school gives their collected donations to the food bank in their community.
Each year the Milesburg Food Pantry weighs the donations. This year Wingate students and staff donated 1,022.25 pounds of food, paper and hygiene products. The Howard Scouts Pack #353 led by Tom and Patty Long delivered the items from Wingate Elementary to the Milesburg Presbyterian Church where the Milesburg Food Pantry is housed. Most scouts in this troop are also students at Wingate Elementary.
This annual project supports the BEA Elementary motto, "Be Kind, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe" by teaching students to give back to their community and be the best that they can be at BEA.
If you are in need of the services the Milesburg Food Pantry provides, please call (814) 355-0809.
The pantry is located at 103 Turnpike St. in Milesburg and is open the first Tuesday of each month.