SHARON — Red and green may be the traditional colors of Christmas, but Sharon schools are kicking off the season of giving with Tiger orange and black.

The lobby of Case Avenue Elementary sparkles with lights of the “Tiger Paw Giving Tree.” It’s just one way folks can help kids get school clothes and families in need can remain anonymous.

The clothes closet of items that fit the dress code enacted this year has been open on an emergency basis for some time, but a group of parents has stepped in and stepped up the project.

Case Avenue Elementary Principal Traci Valentino said they came to her recently and offered to run the clothes closet.

“This has all happened in seven days,” Ms. Valentino said.

Organizers are asking for parents of children at Case and community members to participate, Beth Leo said. Folks can come take a paw with a child’s sizes and donate clothes for that child.

Forms went out to parents to submit their children’s sizes for the tree and Ms. Valentino said they’ll still take information, though there’s no guarantee to receive anything since it’s a gift project.

The economic downturn has affected many in the Shenango Valley. Some families who always bought gifts for charitable causes at the holidays are now the ones who need extra support, Ms. Valentino noted.

Parents are also glad for a chance to demonstrate to children the concept of giving, particularly the younger ones.

Ms. Valentino, whose own son Joey is in kindergarten, said it will help make the idea more relatable for the youngsters, who assume Santa brings everything kids want.

“They have no clue,” Ms. Leo said.

The closet is already making magical strides.

Katey Stigliano said one little girl recently got new boots through the program and was “skipping down the halls” she was so happy.

And while the new code is strict, banning denim and shirts without collars except for “tiger wear,” the kids are already finding creative and stylish ways to comply with the approved color scheme.

“She surprises me every day with scarves and things,” Tina Knapp said of her daughter Ashley. Accessories do not have to be orange, black, gray, white or tan, like other garments.

“Kids are excited,” Mrs. Stigliano said of the new dress code. “There’s so much school pride and we want to help them all feel it.”

The district was given money by a donor to buy clothes to start up closets, Ms. Valentino said. And some area stores have provided garments at really good prices, she said.

A room on the first floor at Case is already home to racks of shirts and pants in all sizes and shoes of all types.

Right now, the resource is used when students have a spill, transfer to the district or forget to comply, Ms. Valentino said. Volunteers come in once a week and wash laundry and return the borrowed clothes to the racks.

The ultimate goal is for the uniform closet to be a resource for all families and not just on an emergency basis. Organizers envision an exchange system that will save people money and time.

“When your child grows out of size five, bring in two pairs of pants and swap them for two pairs of size sixes,” Ms. Valentino said.

The focus for the closet is that people from every economic status can come in and use it, Ms. Leo said.

“Now that we’re changing seasons, kids have already grown out of things,” Ms. Valentino said.

The mothers running the program have had children in other schools with uniforms and their experience is useful.

“I was trying to run the clothes closet, the nurse was trying to run the clothes closet and the dress code committee was trying to run the clothes closet,” Ms. Valentino said.

“These people came to my rescue,” she said. “We handed the baby over to them.”

Gently used or new clothing will be collected for the uniform closet at Case.

Once the pilot program is up and running there, they hope to work out the kinks and start closets at other schools in the district.

“If we can get it to a science here, it’ll be a snap in the other buildings because they’re half the size,” Ms. Valentino said. She said leaders at other schools want to see how the program works out.

They’re hoping the closet will be a good way for folks who need special sizes to find them more easily, as they’re often sold out at stores, Ms. Valentino said.

“It’s a nice way for our school community to work together,” Ms. Leo said.

People are invited to take a paw ornament from the tree and return the paw and uniform items unwrapped no later than Dec. 16.

For those who want to give but don’t have time to shop, monetary donations are also appreciated and checks can be made payable to Case Avenue Emergency Fund.

The money will be used to buy items for the clothes closet. Ms. Valentino noted that the committee of parents is well-versed in where to find dress code-approved items.



Info: 724-983-4015.