Amity Middle School Students Shower Veterans with Holiday Cheer in Annual Stocking Drive

Students at the Amity Middle School Orange banded together to say thank you to our veterans through our annual Stockings for Soldiers community outreach program.  The students, staff, and families of AMSO sent in various toiletry and snack items that were put into stockings and delivered on Friday, December 22, 2023 to the VA Hospital in West Haven.  Janine Arents, seventh grade science teacher at the middle school Orange, has helped run this drive every year since its beginning in collaboration with Lisa Siedlarz' community group: www.SoHuNewHaven.org.  

This year the students, families, and staff of the middle school donated over 776 items that went into over 25 stockings!!!!!  The students of Teams X and Y also wrote over 125 letters and cards to the veterans which were enough to include a letter or card of gratitude IN EVERY STOCKING!!!  This outpouring of support from the local school community was uplifting to all involved, some of the veterans that Janine talked to remarked that this was the first stocking that they had ever received.  There were more than a few joyful tears that were shed when she dropped the stockings off at the West Haven VA.  These stockings help make many veterans' holiday seasons much better.  Combined with sohunewhaven.org over 250 stocking were filled with donations for the 2023 holiday season!

Janine would like to thank the Amity Middle School Orange students, families, staff, Lisa Siedlarz, and the VA in West Haven for all of the generous support given to this worthwhile activity.  If any Bethany, Orange, or Woodbridge community members work for a company that makes and/or would like to donate toiletry or snack items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, hair brushes, hard candy, microwave popcorn, etc.) please email Janine at Janine.Arents@amityregion5.org.