Drive-thru fundraiser set at St. Paul

SALEM -- Area residents can purchase St. Paul School ornaments, live Christmas trees, pepperoni rolls, even wax melts and warmers to support the school from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the school parking lot.

Principal David Pancurak said they can also donate to a good cause by bringing unwrapped new toys and non-perishable food items for the Salem Salvation Army.

"They don't even have to get out of their car," he said.

Dubbed the Deck the Halls with St Paul's Drive-Thru Fundraiser, the event will feature stations set up in the parking lot where visitors can stop their car, but remain inside to purchase a tree, ornaments, wax melts and warmers, pepperoni rolls and other odds and ends (perhaps a cookie or two).

With bingo shut down due to COVID-19 and the annual school auction cancelled last spring because of the pandemic, he said the school is trying to find ways to raise funds for student programs.

The school is currently on remote learning for two weeks at the recommendation of the city health department after the Thanksgiving break. The school had been doing in-person learning since opening in the fall, with no positive cases of COVID-19 so far in students or staff, although some students have had to quarantine due to their parents or other contacts outside the school setting. Teachers taught from home remotely on Tuesday due to the snowy forecast, but were in the school building Wednesday to teach all students remotely. Each student has their own tote to keep their items inside, along with their own Chromebook computer.

For the fundraiser, students created St. Paul School ornaments available for $5 each. They also potted small live trees, 1 to 3 feet tall, which will be available to purchase for $5 to $10 each.

Due to the school's state designation as a STEM school (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), many partnerships have been formed related to this year's focus on agriculture, including one with the Smith Evergreen Nursery in Magnolia. The Christmas tree farm donated 50 live fresh-cut Colorado blue spruce trees to be sold during the fundraiser.

The prices are $20 for trees 5 to 6 feet tall and $30 for trees over 7 feet high. The tree farm also donated the 50 smaller, live potted trees.

Carla Gbur of the school cafeteria is making pepperoni rolls that will be sold for $2 each. Country Wicks of Lisbon donated wax melts and warmers for the fundraiser.

Visitors can enter from either State Street or Ohio Avenue and follow the directions to travel from station to station.

mgreier@salemnews.net