A combination of safety pins, colorful beads and the desire to help others allowed students at Lakeville Elementary to raise $271 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Fifth-graders in teachers Rob Murray, Krista Faison and Jill Stuk’s classes recently made and sold Mardi Gras-inspired pins to raise money for the American Red Cross.
Fifth-grader Bradley Mitchell and his mother Carol Mitchell approached the classes about the project.
Bradley said his mom got the idea from a co-worker at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital who was wearing a similar handmade pin.
Together, the Mitchell family and Lakeville PTO supplied the classes with safety pins plus gold, green and purple beads symbolizing the annual Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.
Selected in 1872, here’s what the official Mardi Gras colors represent ? purple signifies justice, green stands for faith and gold symbolizes power.
Last week, the colorful pins were sold for donations in any amount during school hours and at Lakeville’s curriculum nights.
‘I think they will help,? Bradley said.