Last October, Halloween-in-the-Village had a different look and purpose in Magnolia. Though the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce made the hard choice to cancel Halloween-in-the-Village 2021, it worked alongside merchants and Chamber members to collect the dollars usually used for purchasing candy and pooling these funds to donate to local schools and assisting students.
Earlier this month, the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce volunteer leadership team was delighted to deliver gift cards to Magnolia’s four local schools after raising hundreds of dollars to support students and families in need. Families from Catherine Blaine K-8, Lawton Elementary, Magnolia Elementary, and Our Lady of Fatima School will use the gift cards to purchase food and clothing items at local retail outlets.
Patrick Gray, the acting Principal at Catherine Blaine K-8, shared his feelings upon receipt of the gift cards, hand-delivered by Chamber President Daniela Eng and Vice President Thomas Powell:
“We appreciate the support the [Magnolia] Chamber of Commerce has provided for families in our community. Schools are often the primary connection point for families and children in need of assistance, and having the flexibility to provide immediate financial help can have a huge impact for these families,” said Principal Gray. “Our community is stronger when neighbors support each other and I’m grateful to be able to work in a place where this support is so evident.”
The Magnolia Chamber is delighted to support our local schools and further establish the relationship between our communities’ businesses and local government and faith-based institutions.
“Our Chamber’s mission is to foster connections between Magnolia’s businesses, residents, and community groups. These critical relationships add vibrancy to the neighborhood and bring relevance to the Chamber’s activities,” said Jason Thibeaux, Executive Director of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce. “We are immensely grateful to Deb Bluestein, owner of Modele’s Home Furnishings. It was her inspired idea to collect the dollars usually used by Village merchants for purchasing Halloween candy and work with the local schools to donate for the best and highest use needs for the students.”
The Magnolia Chamber hopes the pandemic becomes more manageable in the months ahead, and we look forward to hosting Halloween-in-the-Village in 2022. In the meantime, we take great pleasure in partnering with our local schools and supporting students with meaningful “treats” that make life just a bit easier during these challenging times.
