PENDLETON â In the wake of a bleak week, the administrators of Sunridge Middle School donned costumes.
Sunridge Principal Dave Williams became an elf, Jingles McKringle-Berry, and Assistant Principal Jared Tesch turned into Santa Claus as they headed out into the community to deliver stockings filled with gifts to children in the community.
Williams noted that Sunridge and the Pendleton School Districtâs other schools have done this tradition for 15 years, but they usually leave the gifts with students before they depart for winter break.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has scrambled those plans, and although plenty of businesses and individuals have struggled financially this year, Sunridge still raised a considerable sum to send Christmas gifts to children in need. The $740 raised by staff was matched by businesses and organizations that committed $1,725 in cash, more than $400 in gift cards and several different in-kind donations, including a âhuge amount of candy�