Students at

First Baptist Christian School in Butler collected $400 in a penny drive for a needy family.“I wanted the students to realize that the gift of giving is far better than receiving and that every penny does count,” Becky Karns, combined fifth and sixth grade teacher, said in a news release. “Children in today's times seem to think that pennies are worthless; they even throw them away.”Karns sent a flyer about the penny drive home with each of the school's 149 students, who range from preschool through 12th grades.She thought the children might raise $50. Instead, they raised eight times that amount.The collection ended Monday.“The generosity of the students has been amazing,” Karns said. “Some students are giving of their own money. I think this will be a yearly program at First Baptist Christian School.”Beneficiaries of the students' generosity are Marion and Chris Seavers of Worthington. Their home burned in a fire Dec. 15 and the family lost everything, Karns said.

BRUIN — To show appreciation for U.S. military overseas, the <B>Bruin Elementary School Student Council</B> collected nearly 300 pounds of items for Christmas care packages.Sixteen boxes — care packages — were sent to 2nd Lt. David M. Black, a Karns City High School graduate who is stationed with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. He distributes the items to his platoon.“We were given a tracking code for each box and each day an announcement is made at the school telling students where the packages are as they are shipped to Afghanistan,” Kelly Terwilliger, student council adviser, said in a press release.The student council kicked off “Operation Care Package” on Veterans Day, when all the school's students were given three weeks to gather as many items as they could.The student council paid shipping costs.

The <B>Butler County Association of Realtors</B> presented Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Cornish of the Butler School District with a check for $2,447.14. The money was raised at the BCAR’s October basket bingo fundraiser.The money will be used to help children in need throughout the Butler School District.