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Little hands send help to hurricane survivors

By Jill Thurston 2 min read
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Lillian Bartel, 3, helps her mom, Emily, pack a hurricane relief kit.
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Nearly 200 hurricane relief kits were assembled by the Goddard School in Peters Township from items donated by school families and the community.
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Students from The Goddard School of Peters Township assembled nearly 200 hurricane relief kits for the survivors of Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

Makayla Eslep, one of the directors of the early learning center for infants through kindergarten, saw the kits as a way to get involved.

“I thought, what is something we can do to help and what’s something we can get the kids involved in so we can teach them as well about giving back and helping others? We figured doing the hurricane relief kits was a very effective way for us to help, and it was a really great teaching opportunity for the kids as well,” she said.

“I know it’s a little tough for them to understand, but I was just trying to tell them, ‘If you had a friend who needed help, would you help them?'” She explained to them, “We are going to do something that might not seem like a lot, but it’s going to make a really big difference for a lot of people.” The kids were “super excited” to help, she said.

Eslep said the response was “overwhelming” after an email was sent to parents and flyers were posted asking for donations. The kits included shampoo, wash cloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bar soap, deodorant and combs. Motivational messages were also included in the bags.

“We are hoping these kits will supply necessary items to people who may have lost everything. They might not have a toothbrush,” Eslep said.

Through the effort, she hopes to let those affected by the hurricanes know “we are thinking of them. Some of our kids are 4 years old; they can’t do much, but they can help in some way.”

The kits were assembled Sunday and delivered to Thomas Presbyterian Church in Venetia for distribution by the Brother’s Brother Foundation.

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