Schools

Bus Drivers Deliver Christmas Miracles to Needy Families

The district's bus drivers helped eight needy families this holiday season.

Eight families across the Mehlville School District will have a better holiday season thanks to the people who drive our kids to school. 

For the last 20 years, the district’s 95 bus drivers have banded together to adopt needy families, but this year, a record eight families in the district needed help.

The project —headed by bus drivers Edith Browner and Annette Kobermann— provides food, toys, clothes and even furniture for Mehlville and Oakville families.

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The goods were delivered to Monday in, of course, a big, yellow bus.

“Most were appreciative,” Browner said. “We picked families that had little ones and they’re just grateful that they have something, and it gives us a good feeling.”

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The drivers usually adopt six families and put up a Christmas tree with all of the families’ specific needs attached. Bus drivers take the tags off the tree, purchase and wrap the items.

“It was low key,” Kobermann said. “Of course the drivers knew about it, but it’s grown more and more. We have a driver that donates turkeys and hams, things that would go a long way with a Christmas dinner.”

Browner and Kobermann talked to the district’s principals to identify families who might need extra help. The two then visited the parents and asked what the kids needed and wanted for the holidays.

“We would like to see it grow where we could help almost every child possible,” Kobermann said. “I live in the district, and it's nice to help our own. We have kids that are sleeping on floors and air mattresses.”

Browner said the bus drivers start collecting for the families in October, and also donate food for Thanksgiving dinner along with Christmas.

“I think there was more of a need this year,” Browner said.

The district’s drivers also collected movies, snacks and toiletries to send to the troops in Afghanistan.


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