Green Elementary Students Wear Slippers for Sandy

Students at Green Elementary in Chesterfield Township got cozy for a cause.

With a desire to help Hurricane Sandy victims in New Jersey, student council, kids, their families and local businesses have raised approximately $1,500 for the American Red Cross during "Slippers for Sandy."

The fund-raiser started when Green kindergarten teacher Pam Olcese, a New Jersey native who lost her childhood home in Brielle, NJ in the storm, wanted to to give back with support of school administration.

During a weekend vendor show at the school, about $200 was collected and then kids were asked to donate $1 to wear slippers and pajamas to school last Wednesday. But, many families gave more than the required amount, Olcese said.

"The families are just so supportive," she said. "We set a minimum goal of $500 and it went well over $1,000."

Two local businesses, Pasta e' Pasta and La Bella Vita also collected for the school at their establishments while L'Anse Creuse Middle School North student Josh Cunningham and his mother Amy, also a New Jersey native, helped Olcese and student council with organizing the fund-raiser.

The kids, clad in their sleep gear, were especially happy about the effort.

"They were just so excited," said Olcese who told them "it might be little to you but to those people in New Jersey it's just so big."

Phase Two of the local outreach initiative for Hurricane Sandy victims is to adopt a New Jersey school by partnering with students there and starting a penpal relationship, she said.