ALL OURS, ALL HOURS Bold Campaign Ends

COOKIE SWAP SUPPORTS HOSPITAL

The Bentonville Public Schools Foundation celebrated its successful Bold for Gold fundraising campaign Dec. 17 with a reception at the Arvest Bank-Bentonville conference center.

The group kicked off the campaign in August with the goal of raising $100,000. As of Dec. 22, more than 250 donors had given nearly $115,000. Gifts ranged in size from $10 to more than $10,000.

The money will go to teacher grants, Making the Difference, Academic Signing Day and teacher scholarships for national certification.

Teachers may apply for grants to help them implement innovative teaching techniques and strategies.

Making the Difference is a districtwide program that works with students who need academic interventions.

Those commemorating the campaign included Mary Baggett, June Carter, Mandy and Chris Sooter, Melissa and Tim Myers, Colleen and Jason Hendren, Missy Allard, Brenda and Gary Compton, Debi Havner, Deanna Ratcliffe and Stuart Sheppard.

Patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and their families were able to have home-baked treats this Christmas thanks to the Jackson Graves Foundation and a team of a few dozen Christmas cookie-bakers.

Kelly and Steve Zega hosted the sixth annual Spread Good Cheer Holiday Cookie Exchange on Dec. 20 at their Fayetteville home, where we showed up with scads of cookies and other holiday sweets.

While a great way to get a variety of cookies to take home, the main goal of the swap is to help the Jackson L. Graves Foundation gather goodies for those spending the holidays away from home because their children are sick.

The foundation works to help families spending long periods of time at Children’s because their children are in need of longterm, complex medical care.

The cookie exchange marked the conclusion of the Graves Foundation’s two-week supply drive, during which it collected games, books and toys for hospital waiting rooms, blankets, crib toys, long distance phone cards and disposable cameras.

(Cameras are important because sometimes, unfortunately, those are the only photos parents get to have of their babies.)

Past gifts to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from the foundation include privacy screens, a waiting room computer and other family resources, professional photography and staff communication equipment.

Those baking a bevy of brownies, cookies and bars included Angie Graves, Mitzi Traxson, Cindy Bryant, Susana O’Daniel, Ashley Garcia, Lea Ann Van Winkle-Gisler, Anna Webb, Diane Byrum and IdaDunwoodie.

I hope the new year brings many blessings for you and those you love.

OUR TOWN COLUMNIST CARIN SCHOPPMEYER CAN BE REACHED BY E-MAILING CSCHOPPMEYER@ NWAONLINE.COM OR BY PHONING 872-5049.

Our Town, Pages 13 on 12/27/2009

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