On Wednesday morning, six local nonprofits were presented with giant checks for $390. This money, nearly $2,500, was raised by Crane Country Day School’s seventh-grade students during the schoolwide Care Fair, an event held in early February.

The representatives from each of the nonprofits were extremely grateful for the generosity and thoughtfulness of the Crane community.

“We absolutely love your school,” said Becca Solodon of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation.

“We are so grateful, especially at this time. Fundraising isn’t easy!” added Gabriele Drozdowski of Eyes in the Sky, which rescues injured birds of prey.

The other foundations receiving funds were All for Animals, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, CALM and BUNS.

The Care Fair was the idea of four seventh-grade girls — Arin, Grace, Isabel and Shelagh — who decided they could still do something to help when their favorite charities were not chosen as the focus of their student-led service learning projects. The Care Fair featured booths from each of the six nonprofits as well as a variety of booths manned by the seventh-grade students, including face painting, bake sale, a jump house and other games.

Click here for more information about Crane Country Day School’s Service Learning program.

— Julia Davis is an admissions associate for Crane Country Day School.