Angels among us

As students are in their classes in the Saratoga Elementary School, an angel is secretly at work.

Thursday morning, paraprofessional Valerie Larscheid had 21 paper bags lined up on a table. She was filling them with single serving items to provide breakfast and lunch for the students for the three-day weekend as there was no school on Friday.

During lunch, she puts the bags in the students’ backpacks.

What started as a program sponsored by Walmart in 2014 has become a community effort at the Saratoga Elementary School. Through Walmart it was called “Blessings is a Backpack” but now is called “Blessings in a Bag”.

Blessings in a Backpack was a program which allowed schools to purchase food items for students who were on the federal funded free or reduced meal program to supplement meals on the weekend. Walmart gave schools debit cards, but there was one catch—the food had to be purchased at Walmart.

Now donations are coming in from local organizations and businesses like Platte Valley Kiwanis and Bridge Street Bargains. During their monthly meeting, the Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees accepted donations of $750 and $1,000 from the two organizations, respectively.

Donations from other businesses or organizations include Sinclair, and now HF Sinclair, Saratoga Ministerial Association, Xi Beta Kappa Sorority, churches and private donations.

The Lutheran Women Lutheran Missionary league also sent several boxes of food for the program. The ladies had met in Saratoga this summer and asked Larscheid what food items they needed.

Larscheid models the “Blessings in a Bag” after Walmart’s program by putting one entree for breakfast and lunch which last weekend included three breakfast items, three lunch items and three snacks.

This is all done anonymously, but Larscheid suspects some of the students know it is her. However, she does have a volunteer from the high school who comes in and helps, who prefers to remain anonymous.

Larschied does not want the students to feel singled out and so she fills the bags discreetly and anonymously. The administration provides the number of bags needed to Larscheid.

Larschied said she doesn’t hear much feedback from parents, but has from students. One time a student had gone on a field trip and took their backpack. Upon returning from the field trip, the student became upset because their bag was not in the backpack.

Parents can opt out of the program for the student and a note is sent home with the first bag stating “Through generous donations, some SES students will be receiving a few non-perishable food items at the end of every school week. These items are meant to supplement your child’s meals over the weekend. The food will be dispensed in a discreet and caring manner. If you do wish your child to NOT participate in the program, please call Jessica Hull or Seth Hetherington at 307-326-8365.”

The parents are advised there is no cost to the program and to contact the school with any questions.