Students donate foodstuffs alongside their annual Field Day
By Eddy K. Foster, Staff Writer, UnionvilleTimes.com
Students, teachers and retired teachers too time out during Unionville Elementary's Field Day to collect and sort canned items for the Kennett Food Bank, Friday.
EAST MARLBOROUGH — Unionville Elementary students helped make a difference as they had some fun during field day this year. Students participated in “Cans in Hands,” a program that is taking place across all Unionville-Chadds Ford School District schools, aimed at gathering donations for the Kennett Food Cupboard.
Instructional Support Teacher Perk Musacchio explained, “We heard that the Kennett Food Cupboard was in need of donations, and we decided that our Field Day would be a good time to encourage the kids to give back. Each child is bringing two cans, so we decided to call it ‘Cans in Hands’. After the children drop off their donations, volunteers and retired teachers are driving them over to Kennett Square.”
At the appointed time, the students raced out of the building with their foodstuffs, eager to place them in the donation boxes. The students seemed excited to be taking part in the food drive, but perhaps not as excited as they were to be playing games outside instead of their normal schoolwork. Field day is an annual event where students get the opportunity to take part in a variety of outdoor games and events. Students were doing everything from shooting tennis balls at targets using foot cannons to having to cooperate while carrying water to not spill it.
Caden Mareno (left) and Jake Heim (right), as well as Unionville Elementary Principal Cliff Beaver (center) enjoy a fun moment during Field Day.
One activity involved a series of small inflatable swimming pools. “We really want to think the Po-Mar-Lin fire company for filling the pools for us,” Musacchio said.
Even the Principal, Mr. Clifton Beaver, was dressed up as a pirate to take part in the fun. Several parents and community members were volunteering to hand out water, play music, referee, and to assist in hosting the event.
School Board member Holly Manzone was helping drive the food donations to the Food Cupboard. She was excited about the event. “I think that this is a fantastic opportunity for these kids to get the kind of education you don’t get in a book: the value and good feeling you get from helping others,” she said.
The Field Day was co-facilitated by Physical Education teachers Judy Hurley and Chris D’Esposito, while the food drive was put together by the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association.
The Kennett Food Cupboard is still accepting donations. All non-perishable items are accepted, and the most requested items are canned vegetables, canned fruit, applesauce, cereal, jelly, and peanut butter. Donations are accepted at Kennett Area Community Services at 136 West Cedar Street in Kennett Square.
