Tulsa school raises funds, along with health
BY ANDREA EGER World Staff Writer
Monday, December 03, 2012
12/03/12 at 2:38 AM
School fundraiser supporters weary of candy bars and vats of cookie dough have a new, healthy alternative.
Eisenhower International School is the first school partner of Harvest Crate, a local fruit-delivery company. Proceeds will go to help support the classroom materials, class field trips and book purchases for Eisenhower's tri-lingual library that the PTA funds.
"Teaming up with a local company and teaching our children about healthy choices is innovative. Our hope is for students to be excited about making healthy choices while raising funds for our school," said PTA representative Suzanne Mannis.
Students and parents are in the midst of their second push for orders for the year. Crates of fresh, seasonal fruits or vegetables and even single-serve oatmeal cups range from $16-$39.
Mannis said she has been impressed by the quality of the produce, as well as how quickly her family has gobbled it up.
"It's got a Harry and David feel to it, but it's great to support a local company and we can feel good about selling it because it's healthy," she said. "It's an easy sell because it's something people are buying anyway or that they should be buying if they're not. We have gotten away from just having an apple as a snack, but my kids snack on this. They also make great neighbor and client gifts."
Harvest Crate carefully selects and packages its produce in a specialty box or crate and delivers them to Eisenhower by truck for distribution amongst families. Orders for larger quantities of crates and gift boxes can be arranged, as well.
Terry Walters, director of corporate relations for Harvest Crate, said the company has primarily focused on corporate holiday gifts and supplying corporate wellness programs since its founding in 2011. The partnership with Eisenhower International is just the first of many school fundraisers it hopes to assist with.
"Quite a few corporations and factories order the large boxes for their break rooms to give their employees healthy snacking alternatives to what's available in vending machines. We felt why not expand this to schools?" Walters said.
"This is a healthy, cost-effective choice to put more money back in the classroom. What we do is give back to the schools 36 percent of the net profit."
Orders for Eisenhower's fundraiser will be accepted through Dec. 7, with delivery scheduled for Dec. 14. For more information, visit the company's website at tulsaworld.com/harvestcrate
To place an order, call 855-30-CRATE and mention the Eisenhower fundraiser.
Original Print Headline: School raises funds, health
Andrea Eger 918-581-8470
andrea.eger@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Cooper Pero (left), 7, Heaven-Li Harris, 8, Lilly Kneafsey, 7, and Alex Starr, 7, look over fruit and vegetable gift baskets from Harvest Crate Company during Dora Allen's second-grade Spanish immersion class at Eisenhower International School, 2819 S. New Haven Ave., on Friday. Allen's class is leading in the sales of the healthy alternative to the traditionally sweets-laden school fundraisers. TOM GILBERT / Tulsa World
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