Tired of their children and classmates running out of supplies, three Willows parents came up with a way for the community to help fill the need.
It's catching on quickly during the giving season.
Signs of Christmas decorate the classrooms at Murdock Elementary in Willows, but it's the holiday spirit that's really making the teachers there glow.
New supplies have been coming in all week, thanks to donations from the Christmas for Classrooms program.
Co-founder and parent Landry Otterson says, ”To fulfill immediate needs, we came up with wishing trees.”
Located at Murdock Elementary and several Willows businesses, people simply pick a teacher's wish off the tree and fulfill it.
From erasers to Kleenex, some of the requests are less than $5.
Otterson says, “It's easy for people to pick so they don't feel overwhelmed, they're doing a good thing, but they also realize there's a need out there.”
A growing need that increases as the budget ax cuts down on basic classroom needs, putting more pressure on teachers to bear the costs.
4th grade teacher Jan Beaufait says, “Sometimes you do run out, go to the store to purchase things with your own money, but all teachers do that.”
Teachers feel the lack of supplies may be limiting the students’ abilities.
Beaufait says, “I have to remind them to conserve, and it may restrict their creativity.”
But with the holiday program to motivate the community to donate a little.
Co-founder and parent Cathy Mudd says, “Teachers are ecstatic, they've been dancing about the items they’ve gotten.”
Principal at Murdock Kathy Parsons says,”It brought more supplies to the students and Christmas cheer to teachers.”
Co-founders Landry Otterson, Cathy Mudd and Sherry Brott hope to bring cheer and relief to teachers in other school districts.
Otterson says, “We're not the only district that’s suffering seriously, everyone knows what Chico district is going through, Orland district too. And not just local our local districts, I hope it catches on all the way around.”
As the community response grows, parents hope the awareness of the schools need does too.
All businesses are located in Willows
Sugar Shop
Umpqua Bank
Bank of America
Murdock Elementary
Tri-Counties Bank
Sani-Food
Round Table
Quilt Corral
Starbucks
Sierra Central
West Wood Donuts
Edward Jones
