by Randi Dotter,
Cotopaxi, Colorado

On Thursday, November 9th, the Cotopaxi Middle School Leadership and Kindergarten classes, along with their teachers, Randi Dotter and Jennifer Lang, gathered together for an annual tradition – decorating the turkey boxes that will hold food for several of our Cotopaxi families. The Kindergarten students work together with a middle school partner to cut out the body, beak, eyes, feathers and “gobbler” beard for the turkey decorations and then glue them onto the cardboard boxes which will soon be full of food. The annual school project is aimed at helping families who may not otherwise have a turkey and all the fixings to enjoy a very happy Thanksgiving holiday.
In addition to creating the turkey boxes, Middle School Leadership students work to raise the money needed to fill the boxes with food items. This year, MS leaders ran a 50-50 game at a volleyball match, collecting $73, and then joined with Student Council to organize a “Spare Change Challenge” for student body and staff which ran through Thursday, November 16th. All proceeds will be donated towards the purchase of food items for turkey boxes. In addition, Cotopaxi Parent-Teacher Council donates funds to purchase a turkey for each food box, and this year the Pleasant Valley Club is also making a donation towards purchase of food for the boxes. Amber Canterbury, school secretary, will do the shopping and MS leaders will stuff the boxes with goods. Any remaining funds will be donated to Salida’s Granary to help feed the hungry in our community this holiday season.