Blue Ridge Elementary school celebrated its 26th annual Sharing Parade, Tuesday, Dec. 20.  The Sharing Parade is an event where students, faculty and staff come together help families in need. This year’s theme for the parade was “Uniting.”

Sharing Parade coordinator Kathy Roe said the purpose of the event is to “brighten the holiday season to those in our community; show we care; and to help instill in our students it is important to give, to help, to share, and the good feeling you get when you help someone.”

Throughout December, students donated food items to their classroom. The day of the Sharing Parade, the students bring all their items to the auditorium and place them on tables in front of the stage.

This “parade” of giving is a very special tradition at Blue Ridge Elementary. Parents are invited to come and join in the celebration of singing and sharing thoughts.

Kristen Burkhart, elementary music teacher, led the students in song. Thena Summers, a community member and volunteer for the Great Bend Fire Company and American Red Cross, came to speak about the unity she witnessed this September during the devastating floods our community suffered.

This year food boxes were given to 30 district families in need.  A ham and a bag of potatoes were donated by Blue Ridge Elementary PTO.   Toys for each child in the family were added in on behalf of the Toys N Tots and Leo Club program by Leo Club adviser Kristen Hinkley.