The United Way of Crookston is always working hard to find ways to advance the common good in communities. Financial stability and basic needs, health and well-being, as well as education, are a constant focus for the United Way. Washington Elementary in Crookston is ready to help support the United Way again this year with the Feed the Bear fundraiser. “Feed the Bear is, we call it our cutest fundraiser,” says Libby Boucher, Executive Director of the United Way of Crookston. “Washington School comes to us every year and says we are going to do Feed the Bear and what that is, is for ten days the kids are going to collect change.”
Boucher says if you are a Grandparent, friend, neighbor, or community member who knows a student who goes to Washington School, you can send a donation with them to the school during the collection time. “If you happen to know a Washington School kid, give them a handful of change,” says Boucher. “It’s a bear-shaped jar, which is where Feed the Bear comes from.”
Not only is the United Way receiving funds from this fundraiser, but Boucher says that it ends up being a really good thing for the young children of the community to learn from. “The kids spend time happily throwing handfuls of pennies, nickels, and dimes into the bear,” says Boucher. “Last year I think they needed an extra jar, so the kids are very enthusiastic.”
Boucher says teaching kids at the preschool and kindergarten levels to give without expecting anything back can be life-changing. The United Way does support programs in the school district, such as The Imagination Library, which benefits the kids at Washington, so Boucher says this is also a way for the kids to help give back to the United Way.
Washington School looks forward to Feed the Bear every year and reaches out to the United Way with enthusiasm. “They come to us every year and say we are going to do it on these dates and so we make a cute poster with a cute bear on it and encourage everybody,” says Boucher. “Like I said, if you know a Washington School kid give them a handful of change because we want to overfeed the bear this year.”
Washington School will collect change for Feed the Bear from Tuesday, January 21, through Friday, January 31st.
