A disaster area fund raiser project at Sanda Elementary School. Proceeds of the school’s own glutinous rice go towards relief efforts/Atsugi

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1202200023/

February 21 2012

School children selling Sanda city’s rice to parents=Sanda Municipal Elementary School, Atsugi City

The Sanda Municipal Elementary School, Atsugi City (Principle: Arai Keiji) held the "Sanda Rice Fundraiser Project" on the 20th, selling glutinous rice. Their aim is to assist Ishinomaki City, Miyagi in recovering from the earthquake disaster.

It's a yearly tradition for the school’s  5th graders to cultivate rice, called "Sanda Rice." Children born in Sanda working on the project commented "We would luck the proceeds from the rice we grew and sold to go toward the disaster area." During the 2nd semester, after listening to the lectures of the PTA President who was dispatched to Ishinomaki on business, it was decided to assist the city.

The rice was put up for sale on parent visitation day, with such things as package design thought up by the children. 300 bags were prepared, each one costing 200 Yen (about $2.50) and weighing 400 grams. Beforehand, posters were placed in community centers and other areas, encouraging locals to come visit the school.

On that day, all of the children from the 5th grade (160 in total) attended to the sales. Taking turns, they energetically called out "Irasshai!" to parents visiting the school. Acquaintances familiar with the operation of cash registers also kept the children company.

Executive Committee President Takeshi Kato commented "It was difficult to tell the entire class about the disaster area. We wish to sell plenty of more rice and continue supporting them."

Original text:

三田小で被災地義援金プロジェクト、もち米を栽培し売上金を寄付/厚木

2012年2月21日

保護者らに「三田米」を販売する児童＝厚木市立三田小

震災からの復興を目指す宮城・石巻市を応援しようと、厚木市三田の市立三田小学校（新井啓司校長）で20日、「三田米義援金プロジェクト」によるもち米の販売が行われた。

同校では例年、５年生がもち米を栽培し、「三田米」と名付けている。同プロジェクトは、「自分たちが育てた三田米を販売し、売り上げを被災地に届けたい」という児童の思いから生まれた。２学期に仕事で石巻市へ派遣されたＰＴＡ会長の講話を聞き、同市への支援を決めた。

授業参観日に売り出すことにして、パッケージデザインなども児童が考え商品化。１袋（４００グラム）２００円で３００袋用意した。事前に公民館などにポスターを張り、地元住民にも来校を呼び掛けた。

この日は、５年生全５クラスの児童約１６０人が売り子、呼び込みなど役割分担をして来校する保護者らに「いらっしゃい」と元気のいい声を掛けた。知り合いを見つけると手を引っ張ってレジまで連れてくる児童もいた。

実行委員会の加藤丈士委員長は「クラス全体への情報伝達などが難しかった。被災地支援へまだまだ売りたい」と話していた。