McNeal Elementary student spreads the love

Abby spreads the love

All Abby Simpson (above) wants to do is make kids feel happy and loved. 

So Simpson, a fourth-grader at Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School, decided to take $100 she received from family and friends to make 50 goodie bags for Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies to hand out to children while on calls.

The goodie bags included a coloring book, two crayons, a squishy toy, a finger puppet, tattoo and hand stamp. 

“I just knew that sometimes kids get sad in situations, and I want to make them feel better,” Simpson said.

Change-makers

Lakewood Ranch High School freshman Ariel Schreiber has had her eyes on change. 

She donated her family's jar full of spare coins, about $50, to help people in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. It was part of the school's effort to raise funds with a spare-change fundraiser.

On Oct. 18, American Red Cross of Southwest Florida board member Garrett Moore (above with Schreiber) accepted a $3,117.11 check from Schreiber, pictured here, and her classmates in third-period Advanced Placement Human Geography. Schreiber had donated the most from her class.

"I'm so happy we're able to do something for the people in the Bahamas who unfortunately lost their homes," Schreiber said. "It's a lot of money. I feel like we can definitely make a change."