Dexter, Missouri - Each year the Stuff A Bus campaign brings joy and much needed foods for the elderly and those who are struggling to pay bills and buy food.  The students love collecting the non-perishable foods and delivering a "bus" full to the Stoddard County Gospel Mission.

Last year nearly 18,000 canned and non-perishable food items were collected at Dexter Schools.  They set a new record and it is their hope to set another new record this year. 

While shopping this week, please pick up an extra case or a few cans of vegetables and send them with your student by Friday, December 9, 2016.  Each building is competing to see who collects the most food.  Williams Moving will provide the truck to haul the food to the Mission and hopefully there will be a cookie party for the winning school building.

"This is our 5th year of collecting for the Stoddard County Gospel Mission," stated Judy Patterson, freshman/junior high school counselor.  "It's my last one as I am retiring at the end of the 2017 school year.  I just hope we break another record."

The High School initiated the competition between the schools five years ago to help the local Mission with food for the holidays. 

Southwest Elementary, Central Elementary, T.S. Hill Middle School and the Dexter Senior High School will all be competing for delicious treats!  The school that brings in the most cans will receive home-made cookies from OPAA, their food service company!

Items needed for the Stoddard County Gospel Mission are dry goods and canned goods such as pasta, spaghetti, canned vegetables and fruits, mac & cheese, cookies, crackers, peanut butter, and any item that is non-perishable.

Throughout the Christmas Season people come together and realize how fortunate they are and also how some families are in great need this time of year.  The Stuff A Bus event was such a great hit the past four years they hope to continue to participate for many years to come to help those in Stoddard County.

We should feel very proud to live in such a community that is always willing to give back any chance we can.  We hope to see the Stuff A Bus event continue to positively affect many families for as long as possible.

Shown in the photo representing Central Elementary are from left to right: Jake Pain, Ryan Goode, Maddi Sutton, and Avery Ackman.