I know this is long, but I hope you’ll take the time to read it.
Today was such a feel good day at Day Mountain Regional Middle School, and I’ve just been on this warm fuzzy high all afternoon and evening thinking about it.
A while back, Diana Romanoski asked if we could do a little market for kids to do holiday shopping for their families. She had collected a ton of great, quality items, had gotten boxes of items donated from a church fair, wrapped up mugs with hot chocolate, and had oodles of gift bags and tissue paper. Others brought in a few things; Carrabassett Coffee Company donated a box full of their stocking stuffer coffee packs that we also paired with mugs, and Wayward Chickadee donated their two ounce bars of luxurious soaps that we paired with washcloths made by Diana’s mother. By the way, the library smelled ah-mazing the last couple days with coffee and soap. Kids were eager to help set up and wrap gift packs in cellophane and bag up gifts that their peers bought today, and they helped me move tables every time I decided to rearrange, which was several times. Teachers bought “gift certificates” for some of the kids to be able to buy with, and we tried to make sure no one was left out.
The weather kept us from having our afternoon event for the younger kids, but those middle schoolers really cleaned up. There are going to be some very nice gifts coming home for parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, etc. Someone’s even getting a complete, brand new set of dishes!
AND thanks to a deal from Scholastic, we were able to give each student a book to take home for the holidays. I tried my best to match books to students’ tastes and personalities and Nicole Levesque helped me pick ones for the fifth-graders I don’t know as well yet. I wasn’t sure how books for a gift would go over, but the kids were so appreciative, and I really hope they enjoy them. And thank you to Principal Maggie Adams for wrapping ALL THOSE BOOKS. She had a few helpers along the way, but she wrapped and tagged the majority.
I wish I had taken more pictures today, especially of the students helping get ready for the market and kids with their books, but our shortened day made things sort of whirlwind. But we made it through, and I hope our DMRMS family all have a restful, pleasant, treat-filled winter break.