Gift store helps Hathaway students with Mother’s Day shopping

Washougal — Students at Hathaway Elementary School didn’t have to stress about what to get mom on Mother’s Day, because the gift store was brought right to their classrooms. Community volunteers organized the store, and students made purchases using “Paws-i-tive Slips,” earned by demonstrating safe, respectful or responsible behavior in school. “The gift store idea came from Tamara Dinius, who suggested donating craft items she had made or received through the years to children who could give them as a holiday gift for a friend or family member,” said volunteer Pam Clark, who belongs to a local craft group. A similar idea was implemented for Christmas when Clark and others from the group noticed they had a lot of extra items. After talking with David Tudor, principal at Hathaway, as well as Nancy Boon, family resource coordinator, they put a store in place right around Christmastime. “We were open for nine days, and close to 800 gifts went home with kids,” said Clark. “The goal is for our students to have the opportunity to give,” said Boon. “Giving to others feels great, both for our students and our community volunteers.” Boon also knows how special those early gifts from kids can be to their parents. “I have a gift that my grown daughter gave me when she was in kindergarten that still hangs from the mirror in my van,” she said.