The West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School hosted a drive-by donation.

West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School held a drive-by and donation event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Preschoolers from the West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School have been missing their teachers over the past several weeks, with the school closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but in a choreographed drive-by event Friday, the kids and teachers had a chance to see each other and “visit” from a safe distance.

The drive-by also served as a donation collection for the Friendship Service Center in New Britain – a soup kitchen and shelter, and a mission that the Methodist Church has been supporting for many years with Thanksgiving meals, move-in baskets, and birthday bags.

Nursery School Director Lisa Brown welcomed parents and their carloads of students at the entrance to the parking lot, placing their donations in a bin at the curb.

“All your favorite teachers and I will be outside the entrance of the school … and we are inviting you to drive through with your family and give us a big wave and honk from your cars! We miss not seeing our school family and thought everyone would appreciate a safe opportunity to reconnect with each other,” Brown said in a letter to parents in advance of the event, which was one of the schools’s distance learning projects.

Donations to the Friendship Service Center from West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School students. Courtesy photo

“Due to the current crisis, there are many families in acute need of food, among other things,” Brown said. Items requested, and collected, included kid-friendly packaged snack foods like crackers, jello cups, pudding cups, granola bars, cheese sticks, gogurts, juice boxes, and fruit snacks.

“This is such a good gesture of community coming together during these difficult times,” said Al Cortes, who works in administration at the nursery school.

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A West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School family decorated their car for the drive-by event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Teachers at the West Hartford United Methodist Nursery School pose for a photo before students arrive. Courtesy photo

West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School Director Lori Brown greets families at the drive-by event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The donation bin filled quickly. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

A teacher waves to a carload of students at the West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School drive-by and donation event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

A teacher greets a carload of students at the West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School drive-by and donation event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School held a drive-by and donation event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Cars line up to drop off donations and greet teachers and Director Lori Brown (left) at the West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School on April 3. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Cars line up to drop off donations and greet teachers at the West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School on April 3. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School held a drive-by and donation event. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Donations to the Friendship Service Center from West Hartford United Methodist Church Nursery School students. Courtesy photo