As a young school girl, I”ll never forget the perplexed tone of my mother”s voice, “Jennifer Lee, why are the labels missing from the canned food? How am I supposed to know what”s in them?” I had been inspired to save the labels from the Campbell”s soup cans by our principal”s speech over the intercom that morning. Those valuable red and white labels would give money to our school. I didn”t know how it worked, but I cut, cut, cut to my mother”s dismay.
Today, as Coyote Valley Elementary”s Box Tops and Labels For Education coordinator, I”ve seen how it works. It”s quite simple really, buy the products, clip the Box Tops and send the Box Tops to school. The coordinator counts and submits all of their Box Tops to General Mills.
Coyote Valley receives two checks a year from General Mills to purchase the things we need such as: books, school supplies, playground equipment, teacher training, computers, etc.
Each Box Tops clip is worth 10 cents. When people throw away their unclipped Box Tops, it”s like they are throwing away money. Last year, the school earned $1,386, one Box Tops clipping at a time.
To help children and Coyote Valley Elementary through these tough economic times and budget cuts to education programs, this is the easiest way to contribute.
The school office will accept Box Tops and Labels For Education clippings throughout the school year. The school will also have collection bins at Hardester”s of Hidden Valley Lake, Coyote Valley Pharmacy, The Big Chill and the Middletown Post Office.
For a complete listing of participating products visit www.boxtops4education.com and www.labelsforeducation.com.
Jennifer Popovich is the Coyote Valley Elementary Box Tops coordinator.
