Slimey fundraiser oozes at Wyland Elementary
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Kids at Wyland Elementary in Hampton Township School District are turning slime into something special.
As part of the school’s Pawsitive Helping Hands afterschool program, third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders annually make and sell a craft to their classmates with proceeds going to a charity of their choice, said Cristine Dougherty, a parent who helps run the afterschool program.
This year, she suggested the kids make and then sell slime, which received an enthusiastic response.
“As soon as I suggested making slime, all of the kids squealed with joy, so the discussion about what to make didn’t go any further,” said Dougherty.
This year they decided the money raised would go toward H2GO, a nonprofit started and operated by two Hampton juniors, Harrison Hamlin and Ella Hilton. Once or twice each month, H2GO shops for, prepares, and delivers family-style dinners to one of Pittsburgh’s womens shelters, said Dougherty.
She heard H2GO was running low on grocery store gift cards, and the students agreed it was a great recipient for their sales.
“When I heard about H2GO, I was amazed about what two Hampton High School students were doing to help others in our community,” said Dougherty.
To kick off the effort, Pawsitive students made the slime at two afterschool meeting sessions in Wyland’s cafeteria.
Helping with the slime recipe was Dougherty’s neighbor, Lexie Solomon, 9, a fourth-grader at Wyland.
Not only did the Pawsitive members make the slime, but they also helped sell it, she said. And they even gave up recess time to come into the cafeteria and help out. It was a learning experience as group members practiced handling the money and assisted younger shoppers in choosing their slime, said Dougherty.
Overall, the “extremely successful” sale resulted in 180 bags of sold slime, each bag selling for one dollar. In previous fundraising events, lunch-time sales usually lag on the first day as students go home and try to remember to bring in money the next day, said Dougherty.
But this year was different.
“The kids heard about the Slime Sale and they were prepared. We sold 115 bags of slime on the first day,” said Dougherty.
Alexis Goldstein, 10, in fifth grade, and Reese Goldstein, 8, in second grade, are Dougherty’s two daughters who volunteered to make more slime at home that first evening.
Other group members at school also volunteered to make more slime the second day. The three-day sale was cut short because they ran out of slime and ingredients to make more, she said.
Hilton said she and Hamlin, both of Allison Park, were excited to hear about the students raising money for their H2GO effort.
“Seeing Wyland Elementary’s Helping Hands club sell slime and donate 100 percent of their proceeds to H2GO is amazing. Helping those who are less fortunate is important, and living in a community where that is recognized by children as young as elementary schoolers is incredibly inspiring,” said Hamlin.
She and Hamlin aim to provide a dinner to the Women’s Center and Shelter of Pittsburgh at least once a month.
“By creating H2GO, we have been able to raise money in order to provide meals and love to women and children in unimaginable situations,” said Hilton, 17. “Sharing meals, spending time, and making bonds with the residents of WCSP is an experience that spurs positive change in everyone involved. We could not make this change without the fantastic helpers at Wyland and their kindness project,” she said.
She also said it wouldn’t be possible without the help of their many generous contributors.
Hamlin, also 17, said they hope to recruit some younger students who can carry on the H2GO effort after they graduate.
Dougherty said last year Pawsitive Helping Hands donated money to Connor’s Cure, a fundraiser of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, and the year before that to Highmark’s The Caring Place. Amy Kinney, is the group’s sponsor and Wyland guidance counselor.
In addition to the slime, so far this year, Wyland’s PAWSitive Helping Hands group has held a Thanksgiving Food Drive for the North Hills Community Outreach, gathered more than 100 pairs of pajamas for orphans and refugees in the Pittsburgh area, written letters to deployed service men and women, and decorated lunch bags for Valentine’s Day for Meals on Wheels to use for their lunch deliveries, said Dougherty.
She said they plan on doing something for Animal Friends in the near future.