by Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Grafton Village Elementary’s second annual cereal box drive for the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank started slowly, but by the end of last week, the shelves of the local Giant’s cereal aisle were cleared out and the school’s hallways, stairwell, and gym were filled instead.
Students and staff collected more than 2,000 boxes of cereal, meeting and exceeding the goal they set for themselves after collecting 1,800 boxes last year.
Fifth grade students set up the donated boxes in a domino-style chain from the upstairs hallway all the way to the gym on the main floor as part of the school-wide celebration of the successful drive.
“We are so proud of our community,” said Annmarie Mulholland, vice president of hospitality for the Grafton Village PTA, which organized the drive along with the school outreach committee.
The PTA kept track of how many boxes each class collected, and the winning class from each grade level will earn a Domino’s pizza party.
The fifth graders also helped school staff and PTA volunteers to load all of the cereal boxes onto pallets to be picked up by the regional Food Bank for distribution this week.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our community, students, and dedicated staff for their unwavering support and commitment to this cause,” said school principal Michael Sidebotham. “This drive exemplifies the spirit of generosity and compassion that defines the [Grafton Village Elementary School] community. Go Grizzlies!”
