Izzy Nesbett, Reporter
@Izzyncourant
The holiday season was jump-started early this year with a snowfall a week before Thanksgiving. Along with the snow came the overwhelming push to gather coats and even turkeys. NCHS is leading the way in this season of giving, sending coats to nearby towns such as Bridgeport and neighboring communities who need them this season, along with turkeys to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield.
In 2013, a guidance counselor at the Barnum School in Bridgeport contacted Priscilla Schulz, a Physical Education teacher at NCHS, informing her about the amount of children coming to school without any coats or outerwear. She asked for help, seeing if Schulz could gather any donations for the NCHS community.
Ms. Schulz reached out to the faculty and students, and was able to receive over 800 donations of coats, hats, gloves, and any other outerwear that could keep kids warm on their way to and from school. “What they couldn’t use, they passed onto other schools,” said Ms. Schulz. “They were just filled with gratitude, it was wonderful.”
One year after, Ms. Schulz was asked to get donations again, however, she thought it would be too much to ask the populous of New Canaan every year for to ask the populous of New Canaan every year for outerwear. Therefore, she waited until 2015 to run the drive again. “While response wasn’t as great, I think we were still able to donate over 400 coats,” said Ms. Schulz.
This year marked the third time the high school participated in the coat drive. Throughout the holiday season, there was bins in the upper and lower lobbies of the high school where people dropped off their gently worn coats, or any other outerwear.
Not only is a teacher sponsoring a coat drive, but students also ran a turkey drive for Thanksgiving. Every morning at the school, from November 17 to 19, the entrance was filled with the Hockey team and other students outside wearing turkey headbands, asking for turkey donations.
Senior Gunnar Granito took the Turkey Drive under his wing for the past three years since his sister ran it when she was in the High school in 2016. He got the help from his mom, friends, and fellow hockey team members. “While the main goal is to raise as many turkeys and as much money as possible, it’s really special seeing our community come together,” Gunnar said.
Their goal was to give 15,000 turkeys to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield. “For the first time, we have been extremely happy with the results and grateful for the donations we have received the last couple Thanksgivings,” said Gunnar. “The food bank has expressed their gratuity and thankfulness for the support.”Lower Fairfield. “For the first time, we have been extremely happy with the results and grateful for the donations we have received the last couple Thanksgivings,” said Gunnar. “The food bank has expressed their gratuity and thankfulness for the support.”
