Every student at Estes Elementary School now has a new set of pajamas thanks to a recent drive by teachers and staff, along with donations from the community.
On Wednesday, teachers handed out pajamas and other goodies in giveaway bags for 3rd-5th students. The same drive-thru event was also held last week for students through 2nd grade.
The idea for a pajama drive at Estes originated last year on a smaller scale. Substitute teacher Gary Griffin wanted to do something in memory of his nephew Justin Tinsley who died from cancer.
Griffin talked with Krystal Williams, a kindergarten teacher at Estes who ended up spearheading the event.
“Last year we kind of went small,” Williams said. “We targeted a certain group here at our school to get pajamas for and to raise money for our food program on the weekends. Our funds were kind of low. We weren’t going to have enough money to continue that for the rest of the year. A lot of our kids rely on those food bags for the weekend. We raised quite a bit of money, and each child that received a food bag also received a pair of pajamas.”
This year, Griffin told Williams he wanted every student at Estes to receive a new set of pajamas.
In October, Williams put out a request on Facebook for friends and family to donate or share her status. By early November, $5,000 had been raised.
Williams and the school secretary got sizes from teachers then purchased all the pajamas, and several people helped bag everything up.
The original plan was to hand out the bags during school, but it was altered to a drive-thru event due to safety protocols.
Williams dad dressed up as Santa to help bring some extra cheer as the children took pictures with their new gifts.
Williams said she knew the students appreciated the pajamas, because her phone lit up with messages and pictures of the children wearing them after the first drive-thru last week.
“You think kids always just want toys, but a new pair of pajamas is something simple but something that’s needed,” she said. “I think the kids were just appreciative that there were people in the community that thought enough of them, not even knowing who they were or their name, but thought enough to donate to make sure they had something special from their teachers.”
Williams said the event could not be possible without all the community support.
“I want to thank those in the community that saw the post and recognized the need and gave,” she said. “I’m very grateful. I can have the idea and plan, but unless people help me put it in motion it wouldn’t have been done.”
