While our school communities value kindness all year round, acts of giving and goodwill can be especially meaningful during the holiday season. Over the past several weeks, Durango School District students, families, teachers, and staff have hosted donation drives; assembled meals for local families; performed holiday concerts; and raised funds in support of service opportunities – and the giving isn’t over yet!
Several of our schools are still collecting donations of food, toys, clothing, pet supplies, and grocery-store gift cards to distribute to those in our community who need a little extra help this season. Here are the details on how you can participate:
- Pet Supply Drive at Animas Valley Elementary School – Donate by Dec. 20: AVE’s fourth- and fifth-grade Principal Advisory Committee is hosting a supply drive to benefit the La Plata County Humane Society, which needs the specific items listed here. Donations may be dropped off at the school’s front office through Friday, Dec. 20.
- Food Drive at Durango High School – Donate by Dec. 20: The W.I.L.D and Interact clubs at DHS are partnering with Southwest Conservation Corps to put on the DHS Holiday Food Drive. The goal is to provide nonperishable food items to food deserts in impacted communities. They will be accepting canned foods, nonperishable items, and bottled waters through Friday, Dec. 20, via the donation boxes in the DHS Commons. With questions, please email [email protected].
- Sponsor a Child at Durango High School – Donate by Dec. 17: The DHS Student Council is partnering with La Plata Family Center to provide gifts to children in our community who may not otherwise have gifts during the holidays. If you'd like to help, you can pick an ornament from the tree on the Commons at DHS and return the gifts to the school by Tuesday, Dec. 17. Please email Rachel Miner with any questions.
- Food Drive at Florida Mesa Elementary School – Donate by Dec. 18: The FMES Student Council is putting on a food drive to benefit the school’s family baskets and the Durango Food Bank. Each class has its own food bin, and is racing to fill it for a first, second, and third prize! An additional prize will be granted to the class that has collected the most pounds of food, as calculated at the end of the drive. Students may add canned and nonperishable food items to their classroom food bins until Wednesday, Dec. 18.
- Gift Card and Winter Clothing Drive at Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary – Donate by Dec. 20: FLME is hosting its annual Tree of Warmth drive to help meet the winter needs of its school families. They are still accepting donations of winter gear such as waterproof gloves, winter coats and hats, and blankets, and have a special need for grocery-store gift cards. To participate, please drop donations off with Ms. Steph in the FLME front office no later than Friday, Dec. 20.
- Toy Drive at Park Elementary School – Donate by Dec. 20: Park is hosting Project Merry Christmas, collecting toys to distribute to families in need. Donations of new, unwrapped toys may be placed in the drop-off bin in the school’s front office by the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 20. The school also collected toys for Toys for Tots, and families may sign up as recipients through Sunday, Dec. 15. Click this link for details.
