GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — If you've got spare change lying around, Gaston County Schools says you can give it to help with a worthy cause.
The district is launching its "Nickels for Neighbors" initiative again this year, this time to help students in Mitchell County still reeling from the effects of Helene. Students are collecting nickels - or quarters, dimes, pennies, and dollars too - to try to raise $25,000 for Mitchell County Schools. For those counting at home, that's equal to about 500,000 nickels.
All 56 schools in the Gaston County Schools district have designated collections days running from Dec. 3-4. Students and staff are encouraged to bring in their spare change to support. The effort is being led by the Principals Leadership Team, headed by East Gaston High School principal Rebecca Huffstetler.
Parents who wish to donate should contact their child's school office for information.
The money raised will support Mitchell County's class of 2025, which includes students at Mitchell High School and Mayland Early College High School. The idea is to help students buy their caps and gowns, yearbooks, and other items while supporting other graduation-related activities to make the rest of their senior year as enjoyable as possible in the wake of the storm.
Huffstetler, who enlisted the help of high school students on the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, said the enthusiasm for the campaign has really taken off.
“Gaston County Schools is known for its spirit of caring and giving, and the students’ work on this project definitely shows that they care and they want to give what they can to help," she said. "Our students want to be a part of the Mitchell County students’ senior year. Raising money to help people in need and making new friends in the process – it shows how something good can come from a devastating situation.”
The Nickels for Neighbors initiative was first started in 2015 when a flood devastated areas in South Carolina. More than $25,000 was raised then for school districts in Clarendon and Williamsburg counties that year. The following year, Gaston County Schools used the initiative to raise more than $21,000 in funds for four districts in eastern North Carolina hit by Hurricane Matthew.
The initiative again activated in 2018 to help coastal North Carolina communities hit hard by Hurricane Florence, raising $17,000 for communities in another four counties. This year marks the fourth time the Nickels for Neighbors initiative has been implemented.