26th Annual Sharing Parade

On Tuesday, December 20th, our elementary school celebrated its 26th annual Sharing Parade. The Sharing Parade is an event where we come together as a school to help families in need. As our Sharing Parade coordinator Kathy Roe says, the purpose of the event is to "brighten their holiday season; show we care; help instill in our students it is important to give, to help, to share, and the good feeling you get when you help someone."

26th Annual Sharing Parade

Throughout December, students bring in donated food items to their classroom. The day of the Sharing Parade, the kids bring all their items to the auditorium and place them on tables in front of the stage. This "parade" of giving is a very special tradition at our school.

Parents are invited to come and join in the celebration of singing and sharing thoughts. Kristen Burkhart, elementary music teacher, led the students in song. Thena Summers, a community member and volunteer for the Great Bend Fire Company and American Red Cross, came to speak about the unity she witnessed this September during the devastating floods our community suffered.

This year food boxes were given to 30 families in need. Toys for each child in the family were added in by Kristen Hinkley, another Blue Ridge teacher, on behalf of the Toys N Tots and Leo Club programs.

This year's theme for the parade was "Uniting." All the kids in the elementary school write short reflections on the theme. Each teacher picks 3-5 of the best thoughts and sends them on to Mrs. Roe, who reads them all with another colleague and chooses a bunch to be read at the assembly. 

I remember participating in the Sharing Parade when I was a Blue Ridge Elementary student, so it's very meaningful to take part in this tradition again as an adult and teacher here. Great work Blue Ridge students, and thank you to the Sharing Parade Committee for organizing this special event!