Virginia district fills bus with gifts for students
A school bus plays the part of Santa’s sleigh as “elves” from Spotsylvania County Public Schools deliver presents for children in need.

The Spotsylvania County Public Schools transportation department spearheads an annual holiday gift drive, filling a bus with wrapped presents for students in need.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — A school bus here played the part of Santa’s sleigh as staff from Spotsylvania County Public Schools delivered presents for students in need.
The Spotsylvania transportation department has spearheaded the holiday gift drive for nine years now, this time under the name Operation Bus Elves.
The whole school district got involved in the project, collecting wrapped presents for boys and girls of various ages. The “bus elves” also personally shopped for the families to make sure that each child gets an appropriate gift.
After filling and decorating the bus, the Spotsylvania team took it to the local holiday parade on Dec. 5. Then the elves delivered the gifts during the following week.
The district works with the Spotsylvania Emergency Concerns Association for the gift donations.
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