Students collect 50,000 bottle caps to help children in the fight against cancer

Lamar Elementary is no stranger to finding ways to help the environment through its recycling efforts on campus.

So when student council members and the Eagle Recycling Club heard that board member Gerry Fleuriet was collecting bottle caps to help children in the fight against cancer, they sprang into action to gather as many bottle caps they could. Within a month they collected an astonishing 50,000 bottle caps.

On Jan. 31, Lamar students invited Gerry Fleuriet to visit their campus for a celebration in her honor for School Board Recognition Month. At that time students surprised her with the caps they had collected for her cause.

Following her visit to Lamar, Fleuriet delivered the good news to the Cosmetology Class at Harlingen CISD which has led this initiative for the second year in a row.

“I am ecstatic that Lamar Elementary would think of contributing to this mission of helping children in their fight against cancer,” said Rachel Zuniga, HCISD cosmetology instructor. “It gives hope and encourages the families who have been burdened with finances as well as emotional stress.”

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. every year.