Thank you to everyone who contributed to the high school National Honor Society’s “Going Gold” initiative to collect crayons and coloring books to donate to pediatric oncology patients at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.

Hundreds of boxes of crayons and coloring books were collected from donation stations at the high school, middle school,  Otisville Elementary, the Intermediate and Elementary schools and Transportation Department, the result of last week’s drive where students/staff dropped off items. Cash donations were even part of the collection, and NHS members took those funds to buy additional coloring books and crayons.

“These amazing donations from our students and their families, and our staff and their families represent the goodness we see everyday at Minisink Valley,” said Superintendent Brian Monahan. “Thank you to everyone. We truly believe these donations will help bring smiles to the faces of pediatric oncology patients. Thank you to our outstanding National Honor Society members for spearheading this collection effort.”

The NHS initiative was part of the district’s larger “Going Gold” initiative to support National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. Last Friday, Sept. 24, hundreds of students, faculty and staff wore gold/yellow attire to show their support and solidarity for ways to increase research and funding to find cures for pediatric cancers.

To view the Sept. 24 photo gallery, visit the district’s Facebook page.