By Special to the Town Crier

At Santa Rita Elementary School’s International Day, children in grades K-6 donated 28 boxes of coins to the American Red Cross. The coins were collected in large ice cream containers in each classroom.

“We heard stories of how children were looking through the house - under the couch cushions, the rug and even the car - to find coins that they could bring in,” said Dorothy Dickson, an ESL teacher at the school and coordinator of International Day and the “Coins For Kids” drive. “Some children put up signs outside the school and people came in and emptied their pockets of all the change,” she said. “We also saw kids who couldn’t afford it, bring money in - so it was very touching.”

In past years, Santa Rita has donated school supplies and toiletry kits to the American Red Cross.

“We have a tradition of supporting the Red Cross at the school and the student council was insistent that it be no different this year,” said Dickson. “They enjoy seeing the Red Cross truck come to school and carry the donation away.”

This year, the school also hosted an international food sale with items donated by the families.

Proceeds of the sale will also go to the American Red Cross.

“We were amazed by the generosity of the students and their families,” said Pilar Furlong, director of development for the Palo Alto Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “Children feel very sympathetic towards victims of disaster and being able to help someone in need is a very gratifying feeling.”

For more information, call the Palo Alto Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, 688-0415. The chapter serves the communities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford and Moffett Field.