Otter Lake pupils aid annual Lions Club Toy Shelf

About 50 pupils in the school’s Student Ambassadors program were divided into four groups — each accompanied by an adult — and shopped at the Vadnais Heights Target. The gift gathering took place Thursday evening and Saturday morning in 30-minute shifts.

The groups were assigned an age range of kids to shop for, and were allotted a certain amount of money to spend. Their shopping cash, which was up to about $1,600 as of Nov. 29, was donated from local businesses.

“That has been something I think we've been really impressed with is the generosity of the people in the community,” said Kristin Erickson, a fifth grade teacher who’s also a Student Ambassador adviser.

Otter Lake Elementary has assisted with the toy shelf for several years; however, students this year were able to take a more hands-on approach to it than in the past. Shopping for toys themselves was just one new feature for the students this year.

“With the shift from Student Council to Student Ambassadors, we have added in the other aspects of it,” Erickson said. “Our goal really was to have the students more involved and to instead of just collecting toys, be able to understand why we are doing this project.”

To that end, Lions Club members Carol Farley, Sue Giorgini and Shawna Johnson visited the school on Nov. 16 to speak with the Student Ambassadors about the service organization and why it puts on the toy shelf each year.

“They were an amazing group of kids with lots of energy,” Johnson said, adding that the students asked pertinent questions and gave the Lions feedback about what types of gifts kids might want for Christmas.

The Student Ambassadors — who number 66 total at the school — also made posters related to the toy event that are displayed around the building. Throughout this week, the ambassadors have been visiting classrooms to speak to their student peers about the toy shelf and another of the school’s upcoming service projects.

The school is collecting additional toy donations up through tomorrow (Thursday, Dec. 8), which is when Lions Club members will pick up the haul of gifts. The club also receives donated gifts from other sources around the community to include in the toy shelf.

The Lions Club works closely with the White Bear Area Food Shelf when it comes to connecting with families in need who ultimately receive the toys. Families registered with the food shelf can sign up for a date and time to pick up the donated gifts for their children at the White Bear Armory.

Erickson hopes the hands-on nature of the project will drive home the lessons of empathy and compassion that are woven into the school’s curriculum.

“We teach about those things and we practice situations, but when it's real life, I think they definitely develop a better understanding of what that means,” she said. “But also to show that it's all around them — that it's in their own community — and to have that connection is important.”

BUSINESS DONORS:

The following local business made monetary donations to help the Otter lake Elementary Student Ambassadors do their Lions Club Toy Shelf Christmas shopping:

1. Bear Nutrition.

2. TGK Automotive.

3. Hillenbrand Financial.

4. Skyline Electric.

5. Tradition Capital Bank.

6. Signature Orthodontics.

7. Rita Groneberg, Realtor eXp Realty.

8. Thompson Financial Transitions Inc.

9. Rudy's Redeye Grill.