Students and staff at Brighton Adventist Academy in Brighton, Colorado, asked themselves the question, ‘How can we say thank you to the team of police officers and firefighters who serve the community daily, rain or shine?’ The answer was simple: create blessing bags and deliver them with smiles.
So the students from BAA and Little Lambs Learning Center eagerly gathered on Feb. 2 to help assemble the bags, filling them with various snacks, including hot chocolate packets, popcorn bags, chips, candies, fruit cups, drinks and more to show appreciation to the first responders who protect the community. The activity was more than a community-appreciation event; it was part of their Bible labs learning.
Reflecting on why it was essential to do this activity, Gizelle, an eighth-grader, commented, “It was important because they do so much for us, and they keep us safe. It was good to make them happy.”
Caleb, a seventh-grader, enjoyed assembling the bags. “It was cool, and there was a lot of good stuff for the bags! It is important to help others.”
Emiliano, a fourth-grader, helped supply items for the gifts. “It was nice to make the bags. I am glad that we brought a lot of gifts from home to make the bags full!”
Kiera, a fourth-grader, said, “It felt good because the stuff we put into the bags can help them. We had some hand warmers for the bags, and this will help keep them warm.”
Students also designed and created cards of appreciation for the bags.
“They were fun to make, and I am glad that they are helping the firefighters and the policemen because they help everyone, and they save lives,” said Irene, a seventh-grader.
After the bags were filled to the brim with snacks and small gifts of appreciation, grade nine and ten students hand-delivered them to the Brighton Police Department and the Brighton Fire Department. The first responders were extremely grateful for the tokens of appreciation and the act of kindness exhibited by the students’ eagerness to say thank you.
Fritz, a third-grader, summed up the event perfectly by saying, “I had to help put things into the bags, and we also made cards. I hope that the bags were a blessing because it is God’s will that we help others.”
–Jodie Aakko is the head teacher at Brighton Adventist Academy; photos supplied
