Allen County schools may have some rivalries between them, but can they be used for good? One local organization thinks so.
United Way of Greater Lima created the first ever "Rivals United" Campaign this year. County schools compete to raise money for the non-profit through spirit week participation, penny wars, and t-shirt sales. Not only are the districts competing against each other, but the different grade levels in each are too. For Bath Local Schools, their elementary has shown to be a leader. The 5th grade class alone has collected $600 so far.
“We encourage our students to be thinking always of others. What can you do to make the world a better place? What can you do to make the community a better place?," says Chris Renner, Bath Elementary Principal. "And this is just a great way for our students to learn and show that we have heart for the people in our community. At times we all may need some help and we want to be helpful when we can.”
“It’s also a great way for just everybody to come together and honestly I just wanted to make sure these kiddos were able to have a little bit of fun this year because it’s been a crazy year with the pandemic," explains Natasha Kaufman, the Resource Development Director at United Way of Greater Lima. "So, we just wanted to introduce a little bit of fun while connecting them with the spirit of giving.”
Campaign totals show Bath community donations and t-shirt sales have raised $2,519. The student penny wars will be counted later this week. If you would like to pitch in for your school, visit unitedwaylima.org and find your district's link. Each school's campaign runs during a different week.
