Every year, the students and staff of Byron-Bergen Elementary School undertake an annual, school-wide community service project to coincide with the 100th day of school. This year’s project was to gather paper products and cleaning products for Crossroads House in Batavia. Crossroads House provides hospice care for Genesee County residents.
“Since our school community has lost several staff members this year, we thought this would be a fitting tribute to those staff members,” said project organizer and Byron-Bergen kindergarten teacher Ayn Gardner.
Each grade level was assigned a different item with the goal of collecting 100 of each. The school-wide effort resulted in hundreds of items being delivered to Crossroads House on February 22, the week of the 100th day of school.
Crossroads House later posted to their Facebook page: “A mountain of gifts showed up at our door today thanks to the elementary students in K-5th grade at Byron-Bergen Central School District… We are so appreciative and overwhelmed with gratitude to everyone whose act of kindness gave us a lump in our throat. Thank you!”
Gardner originally brought the idea of an annual service project to the school 16 years ago. “I felt it was important to plant the seed of community service in our youngest community members,” said Gardner. “The District embraced the idea, and we have been conducting an annual project ever since.”
Provided information
