Traditionally we have held one of the very best bake sales ever on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving recess. Our Elementary students and families each provide a baked item(s) to sell to our parent/friend community who "shop" in each of the Elementary classrooms during the morning. Children's House families who want in on the action voluntarily provide wonderful treats as well. We generally raise between $700-$900, funds that go directly towards our outreach projects, but this year, we will have to rethink.   

We like to conceptualize our outreach projects as three-year commitments. Along with this longer commitment, we decided early on that we wanted our students to see and connect with the organizations we support. We have had slide shows, collaborative art projects, speakers, visits, and tours with our organizations to help even our youngest students feel connected. Over the years, we have collaborated with our local Head Start, Maya Childcare Center (a Guatemalan Child Care program for working moms with its Board of Directors in Falmouth), and now the National Marine Life Center (NMLC) in Buzzards Bay. We are in our second year with NMLC.

Due to current safety concerns, the bake sale just doesn't make sense this year. When we reached out to our friends at NMLC, they gave us a great idea as to how to support them in real and tangible ways this year. THEY HAVE A WISH LIST comprised of items that directly support the animals and their caregivers. In a response to our request to find new ways to support NMLC, Kathy Zagzebski, President and Executive Director, wrote:

Right now we are busy preparing for what is likely to be an unprecedented sea turtle season. Not necessarily with numbers - we hope! - but because of changes in the ways everyone is needing to operate due to Covid-19. The result is that NMLC is likely to get many more turtles from other centeres than usual. With resources also being a challenge due to COVID, we would definitely appreciate your in-kind donations of items from our WISH LIST!!

On behalf of all of us here, we look forward to working with you, and we are very grateful for your continued support!

Kathy provided this, "A short list of items we especially need right now that is (generally) easily available is as follows."

• Bleach, disinfecting

• Dawn® Dish Soap

• Exam Gloves, nitrile only

• Laundry Detergent

• Alcohol wipes (small, individually packaged)

• Betadine wipes (small, individually packaged)

• Lysol or Chlorox disinfecting wipes

• Trash Bags, kitchen sized

• Towels, new or used

• Pyrex 2-cup measuring cups

• Stethoscopes

• Hand sanitizer

• Paper towels

• Copy machine paper 

• Gift Cards to Amazon, CVS, Home Depot, Lowe's, Pet Smart, Petco, Target, Walmart, Stop and Shop or similar

NMLC's website has additional links to more extensive wish lists. Feel free to check them out here.

Thanks in advance for getting creative with us in continuing our community outreach efforts.

We are hoping to finish our donation collection by Friday, November 20, with a comprehensive report of our work to be shared Tuesday before Thanksgiving recess. Something to be thankful for... for sure.  

I know that this will be a success, Bridgeview Montessori style! Thank You.

As always, thanks for sharing your children with us.

The Bridgeview Montessori Community