As much as Alicia Mock didn’t want to admit it – and she said it with a chuckle – the vote wasn’t unanimous.
Not in the beginning, anyway.
We’ll get to that.
First, a jingle-accounting of the December lives and times of the current two classes of fifth-graders at Mason-Dixon Elementary School, in Blacksville.
Mock teaches one and her colleague, Miranda Harker, is in front of the classroom for the other.
Over the years, they’ve happily led their students through a fun, holiday tradition.
The young charges draw names and then go toy-shopping, so they can exchange gifts before Christmas break.
Until this year.
That’s because Mason-Dixon Rotary shimmied down the chimney with an idea for a new tradition – a new move for the Yule at the school on the hill.
Provided the students were agreeable, said proposal could shift Santa’s sleigh 180 degrees, even.
Tiffany Durst, a member of Mason-Dixon Rotary, picks up the tale.
“We’re a pretty new Rotary club,” said Durst, who grew up in the town, “and we’re really working to establish ourselves in the area.”
As a Blacksville native who still lives there, she knows all about that gift-giving tradition at Mason-Dixon Elementary.
The club, meanwhile, was launching a food drive for Christmas, and Durst and her fellow Rotarians started thinking about the youngsters in those needy households tapped for the outreach.
Youngsters whose parents or other caregivers might need a little extra help in order for Santa to fully do his job Christmas Eve.
So, those Rotarians thought, why not get those gift-shopping fifth-graders involved?
Make it a food drive and a toy drive at the same time, they said.
With the glow of an idea emanating brighter than Rudolph’s nose, a pitch to those two classes was made.
Instead of shopping for another, they could shop for toys for the drive.
Like all good teachers, Mock and Harker turned the request – well – into a teachable moment.
“We presented it to the kids,” Mock said, “and we let them decide.”
It’s better to give …
The two educators recounted the fun days of Christmases past the classes have had buying for one another.
However, they also dropped in a Christmas caveat.
“We talked about the kids who aren’t as fortunate,” Mock said.
“We told our kids we’d go with whatever they wanted to do. Totally up to them. They might be able to help people they don’t even know.”
Which is what gets people into Rotary, Durst said.
Her club started up three years ago as a satellite of the Morgantown North Rotary. It didn’t take long for Blacksville and the rest of western Monongalia County to line up, she said.
“People are generous out here.”
The club’s “Night at the Races” fundraiser in September brought in a lot the dollars needed for the Christmas food and toy drive, in fact, Durst said.
Good thing, too, she added.
It took a lot of dollars to fill those food boxes. Each one, for the 60 families served, contained a full meal.
A whole ham.
Potatoes.
Gravy packets and canned vegetables.
A pumpkin pie, microwave popcorn and packets of cocoa, just for fun.
And more.
Say you were shopping for such a take in the grocery store, Durst said.
By her totals, you would pay $100 or better, for what went into 60 boxes for 60 families.
If you’re interested in learning more about what Mason-Dixon Rotary does, you may visit its Facebook page, Durst said.
She can also be reached at 304-290-9578 or tiffanydurst1995@gmail.com.
How many shopping days?
The club normally holds its monthly meetings on Tuesdays at Mason-Dixon Historical Park, but that first meeting of 2024 in January just might be an exception.
Ideally, Durst said, the club would like to convene at Mason-Dixon Elementary, to talk about more service projects with those fifth-graders.
That’s the thing, the Rotarian and their teacher said. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
And they didn’t just contribute one toy. They were bringing two and three at a pop, and brand-name stuff too, Durst marveled.
Even the students, Mock said, who initially balked.
“I have to be honest,” the teacher said. “There were a handful of kids in both classes who wanted toys for themselves.”
Then, something happened.
It wasn’t oh-so-epic or dramatic, like the epiphany in a Christmas special on TV, Mock said. It was just nice to see.
“The other kids talked them into it,” she said of the initial holdouts.
“It was positive peer pressure, you know? And now they all want to do more. I’m proud of them.”
