Crafty teacher comes up with important cash for her kids

When the times get tougher, they feel it at Maxfield first.

"Maxfield has 50-percent of the student population who are homeless.  Some are living in shelters," St. Paul Public Schools Board of Education Director Keith Hardy said of the student population of Maxfield Magnet, an Elementary School in St. Paul.

"They're coming to us with a variety of needs," Kindergarten EBD Teacher Nettie Monroe added.

The students of Maxfield School and it's partner Learning Center are indeed students of need.  So when this group that doesn't have much lost a little more-lost the funding for a milk break-kindergarten teacher Miss Monroe decided to do something about it.

"A friend encouraged me to sell hot pads," Nettie said.

Nettie used her own time and her own money to stitch together a fundraiser. 
 
"We earned enough money to provide milk not only for children in the Learning Center, but to all the kindergarteners at Maxfield School that year.

That was in 2002; the successful beginning of what's become an annual fundraiser. 

"This is a labor of love," Nettie said describing the sale at the Egg and I East in St. Paul.

Today the event run by Nettie and her friends  s a sale of more than hot pads, providing more than milk money.  It's a sale of handknit hats, scarves and a variety of art that last year brought in more than $5,000.  It's money that helped get Maxfield kids the basics for surviving a Minnesota winter.

"Like snow pants and boots so we can go out and play.  It's important for us as a community to say we're here to take care of you," Nettie said of her students.

Money is also used to insure all children get lunch.  Several field trips are also funded by the effort.

"Nettie is the greatest.  There's nobody like her," a coworker and sale shopper said.

"She does things for children that we could never do," another added.

Yes, when times get tougher they feel it at Maxfield first.  But thanks to Nettie and  Friends, winter and the ice cold economy have lost a little bit of their bite.

"And I just want to say thank you to everyone who's helped make this possible," Nettie concluded.

This year's sale runs through December 31st at the Egg and I East at 2550 University Avenue in St. Paul.

 Click here to find out more about Nettie and Friends Show and Sale

By Jeff Olsen, KARE 11 News Read Jeff's Blog

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