Pepperell schools donate $10,000 worth of goods to Salvation Army in can-a-thon
♦ The donations go to The Salvation Army to help Floyd families.
The 36th annual WXIA 11 Alive News Can-A-Thon set up at Rome’s own Coosa Valley Fairgrounds on Friday morning where Pepperell Middle and High donated around $10,000 combined worth of goods to the Salvation Army.
“This is a big deal in Floyd County, especially in the Pepperell community,” Pepperell High School Principal Jimmy Alcorn said.
He added 175 Pepperell High School students dropped off the month’s worth of cans they had collected from their school. Students had the option of donating money or cans. PHS took in around $6,500 worth of monetary donations from the students and the community, Alcorn said.
“This is a big undertaking,” he said. “It impacts and gives a sense of fulfillment to help people in Lindale.”
Pepperell Middle School also had the right stuff, donating $3,500, which includes donations of over 11,000 canned items. All of the cans and money goes to the Salvation Army which serves needy and hungry individuals around the world. Kim Baker of Pepperell Middle School said the Salvation Army can buy three cans for every dollar donated.
“It’s something the kids look forward to every year,” Baker said. “They really enjoy going.”
Pepperell Middle’s student council heads up their can drive efforts Baker added. The Salvation Army sends the information over and the students set up the rest. This year Pepperell Middle students were offered an incentive, each incentive level awarded the students a prize with the grand prize being a field trip to Lakepoint Sta- tion in Cartersville. The students easily met their goal and took the afternoon off when they were done with the can drive Friday and headed to Cartersville.
Pepperell Middle School Student Council President Morgan Willingham, an eighth-grader, was interviewed by WXIA 11 Alive News, which broadcast the event on live television.
WXIA 11 Alive News sponsors the Can-A-Thon every year and has had drop-off points set up around Floyd County in years past.