Start of the collection for the “Say the bus” campaign | News, sports, work

STEUBENVILLE — Collections will begin Friday as Steubenville City Schools kicks off its annual Christmas bus pickup campaign.

The authorities have been organizing this event for almost a decade and have given hundreds of children in the district the happiest of holidays. Amy Colantoni, public relations and fundraising specialist at SCS, started the project in 2017 and returned to organize this year’s activities.

“We will be hosting a bus drive on December 3, which coincides with National Day of Giving.” – said Colantoni. “It will begin at 9:30 a.m. in front of the high school with a ribbon cutting, to which area leaders and sponsors will be invited.”

The Big Red Marching Band will perform, and student volunteers will help fill the school bus with donated gifts. The bus will travel to all six district schools and participating locations to pick up all the gifts. Meanwhile, the collection begins on Friday and anyone interested can donate to any district school or event sponsor. Colantoni added that the community has been incredibly supportive, with approximately 235 Steubenville children benefiting from the program in recent years.

“We are very grateful to community partners who help spread the holiday spirit through generous donations. The goal of this event is to fill a school bus with gifts that will be distributed to families in need this season.” – she continued.

Six schools from the district and 13 sponsors, including companies, were involved in the campaign, and data shows that 79 families were supported and almost 1,800 items were collected. Gifts may include toys, personal care items, sports or athletics equipment such as basketballs and soccer balls, board games, children’s dolls, LEGO bricks, clothing, coats and winter accessories such as hats, scarves and gloves. Gifts are selected based on the child’s age and gender and can be brought to schools until November or on Pack the Bus Day, and will then be sorted and distributed the week of December 16, just in time for Christmas.

“It’s nice to work with the principals and building staff because they know each other’s families. This even applies to students who can help organize items or help pack everything. In past years, global logistics and supply chain management classes have helped chart the course so that we can use our time efficiently and effectively.”

Colantoni said officials travel within a 25-mile radius to drop off gifts so children and their families can enjoy the holiday season. She thanked the district’s board, administration and schools for their support and said the project’s success was a team effort.

“It’s really about teamwork. I think Christmas is about making a difference and there is no greater feeling than being able to help.”

Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor and helping the school community can contact Colantoni at (740) 282-9741, extension 7113 or by email at [email protected].

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