For months, fifth graders at Paint Creek and Pine Tree Elementary Schools raised money to travel to Toronto in the spring. On the list of things to do in the Canadian city was seeing the musical ‘The Lion King.?
The kids didn’t make it.
During the spring break in April it was decided to cancel the trip due to the SARS scare in Toronto. Instead, the fifth graders traveled to Cleveland.
Refunds were given except for the tickets to the popular musical. Each ticket cost $54. Some parents kept the tickets, saying they could find family or friends who might be able to use them.
As to the rest of the tickets, (107 at Paint Creek, 125 at Pine Tree) the parents and their children decided to see if they could donate them to some group.
Paint Creek’s principal Beverly Tepper called problem solvers at all of the local TV stations and asked for help. Channel 7 responded and found a residential school in Toronto that was more than happy to take the tickets.
The story was prominently featured in a newscast on May 23.
According to Pine Tree’s principal Diane Dunaskiss, the theater where the musical was playing was asked to assist Pine Tree. The school was put in contact with United Way and a public school, also in Toronto, received the tickets.