ROBERT F. HUNT ELEMENTARY HOLIDAYS 2024
Our RFHE holidays were AMAZING!!! I think maybe the best ever…for so many reasons…. PEOPLE!!! Communities in Schools Site Coordinator, Nancy Essary partnered with each of these groups/individuals to make sure our students/families/community had food and Christmas. So, the list begins: RFHE FACULTY AND STAFF, MRS. ASHLEY ZUCOSKY, MRS. MALLORY JACKSON, HEATHER WINTERS, DONNA LOVING, RFHE CHRISTMAS ELVES (shoppers), RFHE SAMARITAN STUDENTS/ AMY JOHNSON (Sponsor), RFHE STUDENTS/FAMILIES, New Diana High School PALS/ Brad Tennimon (Sponsor), Graceton Church of Christ, Gilmer Church of Christ, HOA (Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan), New Diana ISD Administration, Diana United Fund (Cindy Bickerdike), Spring Market/Arlesia Williams, Bankside Pizza/Jeannie Villareal and last but not lease our very own Santa and Mrs. Claus…Charlie and Pat!!!
Our first official holiday act was the RFHE 2024 Food Drive that CIS partners with the DIANA UNITED FUND to help support families in the school and Diana community with food insecurities. The amazing RFHE Samaritan’s group led by Amy Johnson a 5th grade teacher. Mrs. Johnson created “FEED THE REINDEER” campaign to encourage, Pre-K through 5th grade to bring their can goods/non-perishables to “Feed the Reindeer”. Each day the Samaritan’s group would count each item per grade level, move ALL the items to the Christmas tree for a festive, fun display for all who would pass the RFHE Christmas tree in the front foyer. All the students would see the reindeer each day along with the beautiful Christmas tree decorated with food bank items to feed our families in need. The Samaritan’s would tally each day so in announcements the students would know who was ahead or not. The grade with the most items would then receive a cookie party before leaving for the holidays!! Nancy Essary, Site Coordinator would assist/oversee each day’s activities with the Samaritan’s group. On the final day of the food drive, CIS would partner with the SAMARITAN’S and PALS to help begin to organize, box up, pack up, take away and transport/deliver to a site for distribution with the DIANA UNITED FUND. At this point the Samaritan’s job was done. CIS and PALS would transport over 2,000 items for 2024 RFHE HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE. After the delivery then the PALS work is done. CIS then begins to work solely with DIANA UNITED FUND. Ms. Essary has been in contact with many families throughout the month of November and December in securing names of families in need of a Holiday Food Box.
Let me pause here to share what we encountered this year in the food drive that we had Never experienced in the 18 years I have partnered with the food drive…. that is, we had very, very, very little food to give!!!! Two days before the food drive was to close, I knew we were not able to meet our goal, we were not going to be able to help our campus families nor anyone else in the community.
I knew this because the reindeer were just not getting fed enough!! Amy Johnson (who was keeping all the stats on the feed the reindeers) gave me the stats for 2024…..WE WERE 1,400 SHORT!!! At this point we had only 2 days left in the food drive. Nancy E. suggested a plan to Mrs. Ashley Zucosky, RFHE’s Principal about the food shortage how that would affect our students and community. After a conversation/planning, Mrs. Z. put out a message to all of our RFHE parents and explained that this was not just for our students but this food was reaching a lot of our senior citizens/fixed income in the community.
The next day we not only closed the gap of 1,400 we surpassed it!!! The hardworking Samaritans needed some extra help so CIS brought in the PALS extra early to help count, lift and decorate the Christmas Tree. The sight was beautiful, 5th graders working along side Juniors and Senior PALS. The atmosphere was jolly, sweaty and peaceful (knowing that others would be blessed due their hard work).
We ended the food drive with over 2,000 items!!! We had not done that much in a few years. BTW it was 3rd grade who won the cookie tray party!!
For Site Coordinator, Nancy Essary this is one of the most fun events CIS handles through the year. Of course, helping students/families and community members with food insecurities is the very best. The part that Ms. Essary enjoys the most though is coordinating all the groups to make it all come together. Working with the Samaritan’s, Amy Johnson, the sponsor, the NDHS PALS, Brad Tennimon the sponsor, Spring Market, Gilmer Church of Christ and Diana United Fund. That’s a whole lotta of people, that’s a whole lotta conversations…. that’s exactly why Ms. Essary loves her Communities in Schools job a whole lotta!!!
