Fourth-graders give up Christmas gifts to help fire victims

(Courtesy: Johnson Elementary School / Facebook)

ATHENS, Ala. (AP) — Fourth-grade students at an Alabama school are passing up Christmas gifts to donate supplies to victims of the wildfires in east Tennessee.

The students at Johnson Elementary School in Limestone County are collecting supplies for victims of the fires, which caused the deaths of 14 people and forced thousands to leave their homes.

Teacher April Haney said both of the school's fourth-grade classes voted to use the money they would have spent on Christmas gifts for each other to instead purchase the supplies.

Haney tells the Decatur Daily that they all voted to spend their money on others — not themselves.

Haney said that as of Thursday, the students had collected 12 boxes of supplies, including winter clothing, personal hygiene items, medical supplies and canned food.

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Information from: The Decatur Daily, http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml