Dayton Intermediate School students help create a merry Christmas

Rising to the challenge issued by the Healthy Communities Coalition, Dayton Intermediate School students have helped bring Christmas to area children.

The school's student council, with the help of advisors and teachers Dusti Houk and Christina Morgan, raised $259 by selling candy grams. An additional $100 was donated by the Parent Faculty Club, and Principal Neal Freitas contributed an additional $141 from the school fund. The proceeds were used to purchase gifts for infant through toddlers, during a shopping trip to Wal-Mart in North Carson City.

"I am so glad we could do this for the kids," said Holly Johnson, student council president. "There are children who will now have a Christmas."

The student council is known for its successful fundraising and support of charitable causes.

"We have great advisers, too, and thank them for taking us shopping so we could do this," said Megan Bowling, council secretary. "I'm glad we did this."

Sixth-grade representatives Dawn Wolfe and Rim Taylor; seventh-grade representatives Samantha Gillens and Brittany Kelly and eighth-grade representatives McKenzie Kielty and Pedro Duenas also aided in the effort.

Learning early that helping others begins in your own back yard is important, Houk said. And it's evident the lesson has taken hold.

"This has been a great experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat," said Shayla Ruch, council treasurer. "It's important for us to do for others, and now these kids will have something to open on Christmas."

Healthy Communities distributed the bulk of the gifts Saturday, and hopes all other requests will be submitted by Wednesday, according to Bridget Thompson, of the coalition. They will take donations and gift requests through Christmas eve.

The coalition expects to fulfill at least one or two gift requests on each child's list, and plans to provide gifts for at least 180 children.

Healthy Communities Coalition works with many organizations to provide services and education to the community. Community Roots, a local nursery was established to raise funds to cover the cost of those services, which includes addressing local issues such as fighting poverty and substance abuse, and working with the Dayton Food Bank and Dayton Ward of the Latter-day Saints to provide food to families.

For information about Healthy Communities Coalition, to donate to, or apply for gift assistance, call 246-7550.

You can help

WHAT: Healthy Communities Coalition

CALL: To donate to or apply for gift assistance, 246-7550