North Strabane Intermediate School Hosts Donation Drive for UPMC Hillman Cancer Center anon-Mac
CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
North Strabane Intermediate School teacher Brook Sharpnack brought together a personal connection to start a service project to benefit UPMC Hillman Cancer Center patients.
Sharpnack’ s father received treatment at the cancer center before he passed away in 2015. The following year, he and his colleague, Sherri Snyder, wanted to create a service project for their students. The treatment center came to Sharpnack ' s mind because he knew donations always brightened patients’ days. In 2016, Sharpnack and Snyder officially started the donation drive, which became school-wide in the next few years.
“ It’ s like any great thing— once there’ s word about something good happening, it becomes bigger and bigger,” Snyder said.“ Each year, our goal is to raise and donate more.”
During the donation drive, North Strabane students gather excitedly in the lobby to help donate, wrap gifts or lend a hand in any way they can.
To activate more monetary donations, Sharpnack and Snyder also started a Coin War. The competition’ s guidelines allow students to bring in any coins to add to their homeroom jar. To incentivize the donation of coins only, any
cash will detract from the total. Classrooms can then deposit cash into other rooms ' totals to decrease their amount. When the students arrive, Sharpnack and Snyder display a running tally of each homeroom’ s amount so that the students can decide where to deposit dollar bills. In doing this, the competition contributes another layer of excitement to the donation drive. At the end, the class of winners from each grade receive a pizza party and extra gym recreation time. Sharpnack and Snyder have received heartwarming feedback from the treatment center’ s staff about how the gifts positively impact the patients. This is a testament to the school ' s meaningful contribution and the difference it makes in the community.
“ One of my favorite parts is when we actually take the donations to the facility,” Sharpnack shared.“ They’ re so appreciative and thankful for what we bring to them, and every year, they are surprised at how much we raised or collected. It’ s even more meaningful to honor my dad where he received treatment.”
This year, they dropped off 26 boxes of approved items. Since 2021, North Strabane Intermediate School has donated $ 8,199 and 97 big boxes of socks, playing cards, blankets, puzzle books, unscented lotion or chapstick, hats, scarves and more to the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
“ Academics are important, but having little lessons like this about giving and helping others make a student more wellrounded,” Sharpnack said.
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