Love and hugs to you from families and friends in two states: Michigan and California!!
Friends and family from California and Michigan collaborated in order to show love to each and every one of you at Odyssey Charter School South! We hope these new pillows bring you sweet dreams and that these new books bring you comfort and joy! We are cheering you on and wish you well as you rebuild your school and your community perseveres!
Here is the story of how this project began and flourished!
Denise Finnerty splits time between Walled Lake, Michigan and San Clemente, California. After reading an article outlining the tragedies of the Eaton fire, a specific quote from a girl that was interviewed stuck with her. The quote said, "I just want my bed, my books and my comforts of my home." Denise instantly thought of the idea to help these children rebuild their personal libraries and to make them a personalized pillowcase with pillow to sleep on wherever they laid their head at night. She knew just who to ask for help in leading this project; her mother-in-law, Pat Finnerty, who is a quilter and creator of anything fabric related. The asks continued and each and every friend and family member that heard about the “Odyssey Love Project” jumped at the chance to pitch-in however needed.
These friends and families from both Michigan and California worked together to put together packaged gifts for all of the Odyssey Charter School South students who lost their school in the Eaton fire.
—This is how it all came together—
Jen and Emily at Barnes & Noble in Long Beach helped by securing a 40% discount on all the books, and they were very helpful in picking popular titles for all the grades, TK through 8th grade.
Together, Pat Finnerty’s sewing group and Sandra Anderson’s sewing group stitched 377 different pillowcases to go on the travel-sized pillows.
The Serratos family donated and packed 377 pencil/crayon cases.
Teachers at Gill Elementary School in Farmington, Michigan, held a fundraiser at their school and raised more than half the cost of the books. Each student from Gill Elementary also wrote a personalized message in a card designed by one of their students for a student at Odyssey Charter School South.
Friends and family contributed by donating money to pay for books, backpacks, and pillows.
Aileen and Berenice at Odyssey Charter School South were key in making this happen—helping organize, personalize, and deliver the filled backpacks.
Each backpack (36 different backpack designs and colors chosen to best fit age groups and gender) is filled with a personalized pillow, a new book, a pencil or crayon filled case and a personalized note.
Thank you to everyone who gave their time and resources to make this all happen! It wouldn’t have been possible without the help from each of you.
