SECRET SANTAS PAY IT FORWARD

Anonymous donors helping families to pay off their negative meal balance at all 16 Downingtown schools

DOWNINGTOWN » Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference for the act to become contagious.

It all started when a “Secret Santa” walked into Lionville Elementary School and Uwchlan Hills Elementary, both of the Downingtown Area School District, and asked to settle all unpaid cafeteria bills. The negative balances at both schools totaled more than $300. School district officials announced the act of kindness and more people decided they wanted to help in the same way.

Two additional donors immediately followed the lead of the first Secret Santa who paid off the negative meal balance at two elementary schools. One of those “Santas” elected to help the families at Beaver Creek Elementary School and the other brought in a check to pay off the negative balances of East Ward Elementary School students. The two checks totaled more than $200.

The following day, another Santa stopped by the business office and donated $100 with a request from Santa to pay the negative food balances at a Downingtown school that needed it the most. Soon after, a woman paid off all the negative student balances at Downingtown West High School, totaling $2,400. Another Santa dropped off a check at Brandywine Wallace Elementary School to pay the negative balances totaling $61.78.

According to district officials, the

The Santas donated $10,553 in a single day. By the end of the week, more than 25 Santas had paid off the meal balances at all 16 Downingtown schools, totaling nearly $14,000.

total donated by these Secret Santas had increased to more than $3,000 and people kept coming in to give. The Santas donated $10,553 in a single day. By the end of the week, more than 25 Santas had paid off the meal balances at all 16 Downingtown schools, totaling nearly $14,000.

“From large donations to small, they have made this the merriest of all holidays,” District spokeswoman Patricia C. McGlone said.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Downingtown Area School District Business Office employees Laurie Peiffer, left, and Cynthia Newlin, right, hold checks of the latest donors to play Secret Santa in the district by anonymously helping families to pay off the negative meal balances at...