Arroyo Grande students raise over $8,000 for local nonprofits

Arroyo Grande

Each spring, students at Paulding Middle School in Arroyo Grande participate in Burpees for a Cause. In the past five years, Paulding has raised more than $35,000 to benefit local causes.

The focus is on health and fitness of those in need. Students gather sponsors and then perform burpees in class for five minutes.

Under the direction of physical education teachers Dede Auyong, Larry Goldzman, Debbi Pitman and Sean Ricketts, Paulding contributed more than $8,000 this year to the National MS Society, Project Surf Camp and 17 Strong.

Morro Bay

Throughout the 2016-2017 school year, the student council at Del Mar Elementary School in Morro Bay has directed a schoolwide effort to provide decorative placemats for the Morro Bay Food Group’s Monday community dinners. Classes of all ages have participated, as well as the student council body and officers.

Morro Bay Food Group volunteer Jean Radin has served as liaison between Del Mar and the Food Group, and fellow volunteers Linda Fidell and Jane Butler, and others, have used the placemats to decorate the Veterans Hall for the community dinners.

San Luis Obispo

Thanks to a $3,500 donation by Joanne and Ross Currie of Splash Café, Project Hope and Fairness is nearing completion of its first village chocolate factory in Depa, Côte d’Ivoire, helping local cocoa farmers become more self-sufficient.

Tom Neuhaus, president of Project Hope and Fairness, says: “When people build their own local economy, they need less outside assistance. With the money they make locally, they can pave their own roads and pay for their children’s education. And fewer West African villagers will feel the need to migrate to Europe in search of jobs.”

This story was originally published June 15, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Arroyo Grande students raise over $8,000 for local nonprofits."