Save the tricks, but share the treats: Make a Mighty Difference for Lucas

As your ghosts and goblins prepare for tomorrow's school Halloween festivities, keep in mind that the Halloween dance is just one of many fun activities the Lucas PTO sponsors for our kids. You can play a vital role in ensuring that these and other opportunities continue by supporting the Make a Mighty Difference fundraiser with a financial or a time commitment.

Lucas parents just like you have committed dozens of hours to creating a fun and memorable afternoon for our students. Additional activities are planned throughout the school year that will need your support. We ask that you consider how you might best support our Lucas community and then make a commitment--either of money or time or both--to Make a Mighty Difference.

On the campaign web page you'll find links donate time and money--both of which are vital for carrying out PTO activities.

Lucas PTO makes a Mighty Difference by funding:

• Technology - Computers, Smart Boards, I-Touch
• Enrichment - Field Trips, Visiting Authors, School of the Wild
• Outdoor Educational Playscape - Outdoor classroom space, Nature based play, Prairie Pocket, School Garden, playground equipment
• Family Activities - DEED events, Family supper, Free Family Nights, Fun Night

Lucas families Make a Mighty Difference by volunteering to:

• Prepare food for teachers on conference nights
• Assist on picture day (helping students move from classrooms to photo room)
• Set-up, serve, and clean-up Family Supper
• Organize games for Fun Night
• and MUCH MORE!

You can donate online by clicking here, or by downloading this form and sending in with cash or a check payable to 'Lucas PTO' to:

Lucas PTO c/o ICCSD Foundation
1725 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52245

You can add your commitment of volunteer hours to our tally by filling out this online form or by contacting Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Cassady at ncassadyim@gmail.com.

A mighty big THANK YOU to everyone who has committed time and money so far! Please see our Wall of Fame for a list of donors.

Un-stuff your house with Lucas "Stuff the STUFF Truck" Oct. 26

Here's a great way to turn your unwanted and outgrown stuff into support for Lucas--bring your stuff to "Stuff the STUFF Truck" on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Lucas parking lot. STUFF Etc. consignment will have a big box truck available to haul everything you want to donate. Receipts will be available for tax purposes. No appointment necessary! Proceeds from anything they are able to re-sell in their store will go to the Lucas Family Resource Center, which supports a wide variety of needs in our Lucas community.

Lucas prairie pocket work weekend scheduled for Oct. 26-27

Channel your inner Pa Ingalls on Oct. 26 & 27 as we work to prepare the Lucas Prairie for spring revitalization. This area on the east side of the school grounds has wonderful potential as a learning space as part of our Lucas Outdoor Educational Playscape Initiative. But it needs lots of Lucas muscle to bring it under control.

We will be working:

• Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 27, from noon to 4 p.m.

We are asking all members of the Lucas community to consider committing some time during the weekend to assist with the project. Plenty of tasks for the kids and adults!

What we are doing:

1. Collecting seeds to save for prairie replanting in the spring (we will have a burn this spring prior to seed spreading).
2. Cutting down trees that have grown within the prairie. Applying roundup by painting it directly onto the tree stumps (controlled roundup application) to prevent future growth of trees post burn. The trees are considered weeds in the prairie.
3. Stomping tall grasses and plants to assist with prairie burn prep.

What we need:

1. Volunteers to complete the tasks above. We are asking that volunteers bring their own tools, work gloves, etc. 
2. Girl Scout Troops, Boy Scout/Cub Scout Troops are also welcome and encouraged.
3. Volunteers to bring refreshments (drinks and food)
4. Site cleanup as needed.

If you can help, please contact Lucas Outdoor Educational Playscape committee chair Sarah Lynch at sarahrlynch@gmail.com

Box Tops = $$ for Lucas; send your Box Tops to school by Oct. 22

Those little pink rectangles on your cereal boxes and other packages add up to big $$ for Lucas! Send your Box Tops to school between now and Tuesday, Oct. 22, for our fall collection. The classes with the most Box Tops collected will win a prize!

Students have received a flyer that collects up to 25 Box Tops (just tape, staple or glue them on.) If you have been saving them up for a long time (or just eat a lot of Cheerios!) please send bundles or bags of 50 to assist our parent volunteer in counting/sorting before they can be redeemed.

If you've been sacrificing your Box Tops to the recycling fairies, never fear! Start saving them now for our next collection. Grandparents and other relatives are also excellent sources of Box Tops.

While each little rectangle is worth only 10 cents on its own, when we work together, they add up to more than $1,000 every year for the Lucas PTO budget.

Lucas PTO makes a Mighty Difference by funding:

Technology - Computers, Smart Boards, I-Touch
Enrichment - Field Trips, Visiting Authors, School of the Wild
Outdoor Educational Playscape - Outdoor classroom space, Nature based play, Prairie Pocket, School Garden, playground equipment
Family Activities - DEED events, Family supper, Free Family Nights, Fun Night

Fall fundraiser tops $5,000 on the way to $10,000 by month's end

As we enter the final four weeks of our fall Make a Mighty Difference campaign, we have already raised half of our $10,000 goal. A mighty big thank you to all of our donors!

If you haven't donated yet, now is the time; if you have donated, please tell your fellow Lucas parents why you believe in this effort and encourage them to join you in supporting our school

The Iowa City Community Schools Foundation is assisting us with online donations. You can donate online by clicking here, or by downloading this form and sending in with cash or a check payable to 'Lucas PTO' to:

Lucas PTO c/o ICCSD Foundation
1725 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, IA 52245

When you contribute to this fundraiser, you can be confident that your full donation is directed to our students and teachers. Ask your friends with students at other area elementary schools about their sales-based fundraisers. Chances are, they will tell you they wish their school had a direct giving campaign like Make a Mighty Difference.

One of the major projects we hope to fund through this year's campaign will be significant improvements to the 3-6 playground.  We also have ongoing commitments to pay for class field trips (Kindergarten to Wilson's Orchard, 4th graders to School of the Wild, and more.)

Lucas PTO makes a Mighty Difference by funding:

• Technology - Computers, Smart Boards, I-Touch
• Enrichment - Field Trips, Visiting Authors, School of the Wild
• Outdoor Educational Playscape - Outdoor classroom space, Nature based play, Prairie Pocket, School Garden, playground equipment
• Family Activities - DEED events, Family supper, Free Family Nights, Fun Night