Students and staff at Wiscasset Elementary School held a read-a-thon fundraiser on Friday, Feb 17, which randomly was National Random Acts of Kindness Day, for pre-K teacher Samantha Crawford and her daughter Angelina Puiia, a past WES student. Angelina had a very rare pediatric stroke last summer and she and her mom have been in rehab together in Georgia and then Maryland. Angelina has far surpassed initial prognoses and they returned home to Maine Feb. 18.

Students were invited to gather donations for 45 minutes of reading across the school. With help from Partners in Education (PIE) who donated a dollar for every student, and with other donations from staff, staff family members and businesses and community members, we raised 5,000!

Heard daily throughout WES are the phrases “Be Aware and Show You Care” and “We Take Care of Each Other at WES.” This was clearly demonstrated at a schoolwide assembly on Friday as students and staff placed donations into a basket while carrying purple hearts that read  “Read For Angelina.” Students and staff were invited to wear purple in honor of Pediatric Stroke Awareness.

WES music teacher Carole Drury had taught all students two beautiful songs about love and kindness which were sung with accompanying movements, sign language and the waving of hundreds of purple hearts. School librarian Liz Bodkin read several beautiful poems about love and kindness; and physical education teacher Joel Grindle gave a heartwarming speech about belonging to such a wonderful school community and shared memories of Angelina’s time as a student at WES and her participation in Jump Rope For Heart.

Later in the day, all staff and students read for 30-45 minutes as part of this school-wide project!” The funds raised will help buy a wheelchair accessible van and other costs related to her recovery while her mother is out of work on leave caring for her!

Donations can be made to https://gofundme/3afo319f or contact Trae Stover at tstover@wiscassetschools.org or Becky Hallowell at bhallowell@wiscassetschools.org

Trae Stover, Chris Miller and Jodi Hardwick shared photos from the event.