Third-graders from Newport Elementary will be giving some people in southeast Minnesota a reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving weekend.

 

In October and early November, the students helped raise more than $10,000 and collected several boxes of supplies for residents of Rushford, Minn., who were hit by floods in August.

The project began in September, when teacher Amanda Weierke talked to her class about the floods.

"I have family down in Rushford and their houses got lost in the flood," Weierke said. "I just wanted to start a conversation, and when the kids heard about it, they instantly wanted to give the clothes off their backs."

Weierke had the children brainstorm ideas to raise money for the 1,700-resident town. They came up with a carnival, which took place Nov. 2 at the small school, now cluttered with boxes of supplies for Rushford. Weierke estimated more than 600 people showed up.

 

Not every idea for the carnival made the cut. Weiereke thought a talent show, a petting zoo and karaoke would be too much work for the students. But raffles, a bounce castle and a game called "Flip the Chicken" - where contestants step on one end of a seesaw-like board and try to catapult a rubber chicken onto a colored circle a few feet away - did.

 

Forty-five third-graders made colorful posters for the games and food stands and worked short shifts collecting tickets.

 

"We just really wanted to help them out a lot," said Alazar Yazachew, 8. "Bad things can happen

not just to our communities but to other communities, too, and we can't just leave them behind."

Local businesses and larger companies were keen to help, Weierke said. SuperCuts-Woodbury raised money by cutting hair at the carnival. Coca-Cola donated beverages.

 

Other South Washington County schools also rallied to the cause. Bailey Elementary collected 150 new blankets, and Woodbury Junior High put on a student vs. faculty volleyball game that raised $140.

"It got really big really fast," said Weierke, whose original vision was a small carnival just for the Newport Elementary children. "People just jumped on board with the idea."

 

The three-hour carnival brought in $6,000. In October, $4,000 was raised. Weierke said two boxes of cleaning supplies; four boxes of hats and mittens; six boxes of games, books and toys; eight boxes of towels; and 10 boxes of blankets were collected by South Washington County schools.

Weierke and her students will deliver the money and supplies Saturday or Sunday to Rushford-Peterson Elementary students in a school-to-school exchange.

 

Rodrigo Zamith can be reached at rzamith@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5369.