Students benefit needy

PALMER -- Students at Palmer Junior Middle School linked together last week to create a Chain of Giving to raise money for local needy families and seniors.

The middle schoolers raised almost $1,000 -- $989.74 to be exact -- by buying red and green paper links for a quarter apiece. Each homeroom class gathered their links and hung them around the classrooms. And a pizza party went to the class who donated the most money, making the longest chain.

PJMS staff identified a number of families who might be able to use extra money for the holidays, counselor Adriane Honerlaw said. Thirteen were identified and given a chunk of the donations for food and holiday gifts. Another $100 was earmarked for the Palmer Pioneer Home, which was also was given the lengths of chain to use as decoration.

As some of the students prepared Thursday to walk the chain down to the Pioneer Home, they said the project was gratifying.

"It felt good to help other people who needed food and stuff like that and money to buy presents," seventh-grader Mikaela Bolling said.

Brandi Day, another seventh-grader, agreed.

"It's feels really awesome to know that families are going to have a good Christmas because we raised money and to know the senior citizens' home is going to be colorful and cheerful," Day said.