B-C ‘Stuff A Truck’ event nets large haul
More than 600 toys, electronics and pieces of clothing were donated as part of the "Stuff A Truck" event held Dec. 11 at Richeyville Fire Hall.
Courtesy of Molly Lamp
Some of the items donated for the Stuff A Truck event
Courtesy of the Beth-Center School District
Items were dropped off at Beth-Center Elementary School by members of the Richeyville Volunteer Fire Department.
A reminder to Santa Claus that Beth-Center School District students who are recipients of the donated items made the Nice List.
More than 600 toys, electronics and clothing await distribution from Bethlehem-Center Elementary School, the result of a “Stuff A Truck” event held Dec. 11 at Richeyville Fire Hall.
The initiative was developed through the efforts of Molly Lamp and her husband, Dylan, who is the mayor of Centerville.
Molly Lamp said she and her husband have sponsored an area family in need for Christmas for a number of years. In 2021, that grew into helping families in the district with Stuff A Truck.
“It was our first year and I didn’t promote it a lot, but it was still a decent amount of gifts,” she said. “We started early this year because people like to shop the sales. if you can shop the sales people feel better about bringing more than one thing.”
All of the items collected were delivered to the elementary school Monday and will be distributed to families throughout the Beth-Center School District.
“Individuals from our community donated,” said Lindsay Moore, elementary school principal. “Staff members from our district donated, along with businesses that made very hefty donations. There were a ton of toys.”
Businesses that donated include Joe’s Farm Market, Octane Environmental, Pryor Bus Lines and BeeGraphix.
Moore and Lamp explained that sports organizations within the district challenged each other as to which group would donate the most items. “It became a fun game of who can donate more,” Moore said.
“It turned into this Bulldog competition that grew and grew and grew,” Lamp added. “The community embraced the whole idea. The results were unbelievable. I had to walk out of the truck bays multiple times (Dec. 11). I was just in awe and overwhelmed with emotion at seeing the community come together for people that they don’t even know their names.”
Moore said families who are to receive the items have been notified and will come to the elementary school next week to collect the items, which are placed in black trash bags to keep them concealed from children.
“The items won’t be wrapped, but wrapping paper will be provided,” she said. “We don’t wrap them because parents like to see what they’re getting.”
Moore feels good just seeing what people donated. It’s an amount Lamp said is three times what was donated in 2021.
“It’s just overwhelmingly wonderful,” Moore said. “I can’t believe it. I’m a new principal and I never experienced anything like this as a teacher. I’m just touched. I’m very proud to be a part of Beth-Center.”