Dexter, Missouri - Mrs. Kruse encouraged second grade students at Southwest Elementary in Dexter to participate in a Coin Drive for Veterans.

Mike Williams, pastor of the First Christian Church, came to the school and gave a presentation on Thursday, October 30th.  Mr. Williams is a Senior Protestant Chaplain of the 932 Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

He spoke with the students about his job, what it meant to be a Veterans and let them know that they were not too young to get invovled in a service project.

For one week, students were encouraged to bring coins to school as part of a special contest with all monies raised to go to the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.  As an incentive, the winning classroom was promised a surprise pizza party by the Ladies Auxiliary - American Legion Post #59.

A very special thank you went out to Sue Grobe who took all the coins to a machine counter, otherwise they might still be counting those pennies, nickels, and dimes.

The total amount raised was $654.36.  The winning classroom was Mrs. LeeAnn Nelson's room with a total amount raised of $188.66.

The students voted this year to support the Bloomfield Assistance League of the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, which helps to support the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

Presenting the check at the Veterans Days Ceremony held in the Bearcat Event Center on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 was Mrs. Nelson and two students from her classroom, Eli Scott and Karis Kennedy.  World War II Veteran, Mr. Windy Richmond, representing the Bloomfield Assistance League of the Missouri Veterans Cemetery received the check on behalf of the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery.