Contact: Craig Jensen
Assistant Principal
952-848-3505
crajensen@edina.k12.mn.us

Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valley View Middle School bus food drive benefits VEAP

Edina, Minn., Nov. 12, 2009 – A friendly competition between the bus drivers and students on Valley View Middle School buses 44 and 91 has transformed into a successful food drive that is serving community members in need. The bus garage is collecting non-perishable food items for Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP), and the grand total will be calculated on Friday, Nov. 20 at 3:00 p.m. when both buses representing all of the bus drivers and students stop at the Edina Fire Station on Tracy Avenue to give the food to a VEAP representative.

Edina Public Schools bus driver Jackie Washburn began collecting money on her bus for VEAP three years ago but decided to get the kids more involved last year by collecting non-perishable food items. Another bus driver, Howard Newell, also collected food items on his bus, and a contest began between the two buses. Together they collected more than 1,500 pounds of food for VEAP, and this year all of the Valley View Middle School bus drivers and students are involved.

“We thought that if the two of us could do this, think of what we could do between all of the buses,” Washburn said.

This year the Valley View bus drivers handed out 1,500 grocery bags for students to fill with non-perishable food items and bring to their bus. Their goal is to raise 8,000 pounds of food and even before the drive has officially started, they have collected 2,500 pounds of food.

“I’m really proud of my associates and my kids,” Newell said. “These kids are going to affect thousands of people, and they are going see that giving makes a difference.”

Washburn agrees that the food drive is making a life-changing impact on the drivers and the students. “Not all important lessons are learned in the classroom,” she said.

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