Last week, Gregg Middle School students with a few spare minutes poked their heads into one of the art classrooms to see if they could assist on a special project.
In art class and when they had time during lunch or between classes, a couple dozen sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders worked to decorate 10 large boxes, which now sit in daycare centers and other local businesses throughout the community.
The colorful boxes, which are covered with drawings of Christmas trees and teddy bears among other holiday-themed artwork, are being used to collect old stuffed animals. Stanley Steamer will clean and make any necessary repairs to the stuffed animals before passing them along to the Salvation Army, which will distribute them in Christmas packages to children across the Lowcountry who are less fortunate.
Seventh-grader Taylor Perkins said she was more than happy to be a part of the project.
“It feels really good to know that we can do something to help children who might not have as much as we do,” Perkins said. “We hope the boxes are eye-catching and that they will grab the attention of people who see them.”
The boxes will be on display until Dec. 9 at which point all the stuffed animals will be taken to Stanley Steamer so they can be refurbished in time for the holidays.
The projected originated when Gregg Middle art teacher Bill Cotton and his friend Matson Hard, marketing director for Stanley Steamer, decided they could work together to brighten the holidays for children in need.
“Being able to give back to the community is a huge part of our company’s integrity,” Hard said. “It’s fun for our staff to collect the stuffed animals and know that we’re able to do something to give back especially in these hard times.”
Cotton said he was impressed by the dedication and hard work his students put toward decorating the boxes.
“It’s really been a team effort with students coming in to help out whenever they can,” Cotton said. “They’ve really been supportive of this and realize the importance of what they’re doing.”
Eileen’s restaurant in Summerville donated a gift card to students in recognition of their efforts.
Stanley Steamer, located at 7890 Dorchester Road, Charleston, is one drop off location for the stuff animals. For a full list, call Stanley Steamer at (800) 783-3637.

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com