Easter Basket Drive nets more than 1,100 donated
The goal of this year’s Good Shepherd School’s annual Easter Basket Drive was 500 baskets to be donated to local organizations that help kids in need.
Officials hoped to make that goal and provide baskets to two organizations. Instead, more than 1,100 baskets were donated by community members and businesses, which allowed the school to work with nine different groups.
“It was beyond our wildest dreams,” said mom and volunteer Kellie McIntosh. “I was in tears. Instead of 500, we were able to help 1,100 children instead.”
Organizations that received baskets included Children’s Network, ACT (Abuse Counseling Treatment Center), Calvary Baptist Church, Children’s Advocacy Center, Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, Christian Life Fellowship, Day Break Fellowship, Children’s Oncology Hospital and local shelters for children affiliated with Children’s Network.
The entire student body of the school helped with the program.
“The middle school kids really worked hard,” McIntosh noted. “Several different kids were the Easter Bunny in promotions. They helped collect baskets and assemble them.”
The entire school collected baskets, and there was a contest to see who could collect the most.
“Mrs. Rosemary Jones’ kindergarten class collected over 230 baskets and were No. 1, but all of the classes contributed,” she said.
McIntosh said the outpouring of the business community was outstanding. Many donated funds to help buy candy, extra stuffers and the rest of the things needed to put together the baskets.
“We want to thank those contributors,” she said. “For those who donated $250 or more we called Platinum Sponsors, $150 to $250 were Gold and anything under $100 was Silver.”
The donors included:
Platinum:
Carol Schneider
Sandbill Realty
SW Florida Addiction Services of Cape Coral
Joe Jekel with Legacy Financial
Residents of Calusa Harbor Senior Living
Cleanest Carpet & Restoration (top donor with $400)
Gold:
Residents of Barrington Terrace
Pro Files on Pine Island Rd
Tri County Landscape
Espresso to Go
Silver:
Cape Coral High School Key Club
Frances Gray
Ann Herron
Denise Handlin Silver
Business people also came to help.
“Cleanest Carpet & Restoration was our top donor with $400, but businesses like Pro Files on Pine Island Rd. also helped assemble,” McIntosh said. “They had an Easter Basket party where employees and friends helped them assemble for us.”
Case workers picked up baskets Easter week, and she finished the deliveries.
The drive was a family affair for McIntosh.
“My kids have done so much, 10-year-old Alexys, a 4th grader, and 6-year-old Abigail, who is in kindergarten, and even my 4-year-old, Kaden, helped,” she said. “He put together baskets alongside all of us.”
Her mom, Donna Jekel, is principal of the school and was fun to work with on the project, she said.
“My dad, Joe Jekel, was also one of our big financial donors and it was really cool to work with him, too,” she said.
The school is located at the corner of Hancock Bridge Parkway and Orange Grove Boulevard, and will do the drive again next year.
The goal for next year?
“3,000 baskets,” McIntosh said.