On Saturday, Oct. 31, McGregor Elementary School students received treats and household items at the school’s Tiger Night event.
At five drive-thru stations, students were treated to individual candy bags, household essentials like toilet paper, soap and laundry detergent, and a new pair of cozy socks.
School Community Liaison Blaine Broderick helped coordinate the event for his school’s 250 learners, partnering with the West Central Neighborhood to purchase more than 1,500 pieces of candy.
“We knew that many of our families would be opting out of traditional Trick-or_treating this year due to COVID-19, so we decided to have a drive-thru option for our event,” said Broderick. “With this option, families could drive by, show off their Halloween costumes, pick up candy in a socially distanced manner and even pick up some household essentials.”
At two stations, families were able to choose which full-size household items their family needed. Items included hand sanitizer, paper towels, toothbrushes, body wash and more. At each station, caretakers and students wore masks and stayed socially distant, while still engaging with McGregor’s team of passionate educators.
“McGregor folks do Halloween right — with a distanced, masked drive-thru event for McGregor families,” tweeted Dr. Charles Taylor, school board member. “Great people doing great things in a great community — and having great fun all the while.”
Community partners from the Drew Lewis Foundation were also present to encourage families, cheering them on and providing information on RISE programming, designed to help families access resources and learn valuable life skills.
Whatever families needed, the McGregor community is here to help, said Broderick.
“The importance of supporting students outside of the typical school day is not only tougher during these times, but perhaps more important than ever,” he says. “By hosting events outside of the typical school day, we’re able to increase supports for our students in a fun, meaningful way, while meeting their needs. We want our students to come to school and feel safe, taken care of and ready to learn. That’s what we’re here for.”