Pine-Richland students pile on the presents with 6 bus loads of donated toys

When a local radio station launched its annual Stuff-A-Bus drive by asking organizations help collect Christmas gifts for needy children by filling a bus with toys, members of Pine-Richland’s student government took up the challenge.

But instead of filling up just one vehicle, they delivered six school buses laden with toys to help 96.1 KISS FM fill a record 66 buses this year.

Members of the student government made the rounds at each of the district’s school buildings on Dec. 1 to pick up the toys for the Marine Toys for Tots program that were collected by support from staff, students, parents and members of the community.

The following day, the toys were stuffed into six buses supplied by Student Transportation of America and delivered to the radio station’s morning show hosts in Robinson Town Centre.

“This is a Yinzstitution. This is Pittsburgh,” said Michael Dougherty — the Mikey part of the Mikey and Big Bob team that hosts the KISS Morning Freak Show. “Pine-Richland has helped us for years.”

This is the 13th year Pine-Richland has participated in the program.

“No one wants to see children without presents during the holidays,” said teacher Lindsay Brough, who coordinates the program for the district. “In my 11 years of sponsoring Stuff-a-Bus, as part of Student Government, this event has just continued to grow.

“It has truly become an entire community event, with all six schools participating,” Brough said. “For the younger students, it’s teaching them about the importance of community outreach and giving to others. For the older students, it’s teaching them that together they can achieve great things to help change the world.”

Brough said people respond to the program because it provides a direct benefit to somebody in need and creates “the overall sense of doing something good, directly helping local children who might otherwise not have presents for the holiday.”

Senior Kendal Chilcoat of Pine said helping out with the program “has quickly become one of my favorite parts about Pine-Richland High School.”

“Seeing students come together to support an amazing cause is such a beautiful thing to witness,” he said. “Collecting all the toys and traveling with my peers to Robinson has become my favorite way to kick off the holiday season each year.

“It is such an honor to be a spearhead at my school for a cause much greater than all of us,” Chilcoat said. “Getting to see the thousands of toys donated by individuals all over the area sparks a sense of excitement and joy within me, as I think of the many children getting to open presents this Christmas morning.”

Senior Alexa Cardinali of Pine said it has been an honor to participate in the Stuff-A-Bus campaign for the past two years.

“Traveling to collect the donated toys at our district buildings and delivering them to Robinson is such an amazing experience,” she said. “It is so awesome to see our community’s generosity and willingness to make a difference by taking part in such a beautiful initiative. Stuff-A-Bus is truly a testament to the impact we are capable of having when everyone takes one small action.”