The Christmas season has arrived, and so has Dana Martin’s 5G Packs Joy donation drive.
“5G Packs Joy was inspired by my fifth grade students in memory of their friend and classmate, Joel Roberts,” says Dana Martin, fifth grade teacher at Lincoln Trail, “We have kept his legacy alive by serving families in our community ever since.”
5G Packs Joy is a donation process where Mrs. Martin’s fifth grade students collect donations for families in need.
“In typical years, the students do everything from advertising, to collecting, sorting, wrapping, and boxing up items and gifts to be distributed the week before Winter Break,” says Martin.
However, because of COVID regulations, Mrs. Martin’s class had to be extra creative and think outside the box this year considering they are learning from a remote environment.
“The students were able to put together an advertising video, posters, and a flyer,” Martin said , “We came up with a way to do most things remotely, such as engaging the students and even collecting the gifts by creating an Amazon Wish List to make the process as safe and efficient as possible.”
The community and the 5G families make this donation process possible.
“Thankfully, with the help of 5G families…as well as generous community members, colleagues, neighbors, friends, and family, we’ve been able to make this project happen,” says Martin.
This year, students from the Youth Leadership Club have also joined the donation process.
“We collect food, toiletry items and gift cards in our drive,” Martin said.
To follow in the Christmas spirit, 5G has seen an outpour of goodwill.
“We set a huge goal of a new shirt, pair of shoes, and special toy for each of the 75 children, as well as a box of food and toiletry items for each family, and we’ve definitely met this goal and then some,” Martin said.
“We received 225 gift donations, over 2000 food and toiletry items, and 31 local grocery gift cards to be distributed to each family,” Martin said.
The donations received this year, like many others, will help and impact many families this Christmas.
“The donations are currently all at Lincoln Trail and will be distributed the week of December 19th, to 31 families, including 75 children, from our very own community,” Martin said, “Each family has at least one student from Lincoln Trail and his/her siblings will receive gifts, too.”
The generosity overflows to such an amazing cause with the help of the community.
“I am incredibly grateful for the love and support that I continue to receive with this project.” Martin said.
In order to make this donation process a little more fun for the students, a competition has been set up for the two winning teams.
“The two winning classes will receive a dance off with Mrs. Hunter and Mr. Martin,” Martin said, “My 5G class definitely won the top place, even remotely, with over 1,500 items donated by my 26 students alone. We will count for the 2nd place team this week.”
With these donations soon on their way, the students from 5G have learned the joy of giving for an amazing cause.
“Our classroom motto this year is, ‘We rise by lifting others,’ by Robert Ingersoll,” Martin said, “It is truly the greatest gift to watch the impact this project makes. I am so grateful for the continued opportunity to bring this project to life in my classroom.”
