‘Pills for Ills’ cures supplies need

It’s good to have a school nurse on hand to help sick students. But what if that nurse doesn’t have basic supplies, such as band-aids, cotton swabs, and antiseptic spray? That was exactly the problem at Gordon Lee Middle School in Chickamauga, Georgia. Though the school was required to have a nurse, no money was provided for basic supplies—until the school’s Builders Club stepped in.

“One of the Builders came up with the idea to collect money from students to fund the nurse’s supplies,” explains faculty advisor Karen Stoker. “Someone else came up with the name for the fundraiser: ‘Pills for Ills.’”

Fitting with that name, the Builders collect money in blue and white medicine bottles donated by an area pharmacy. Blue and white are the school’s colors. For several weeks, Builders put their spare change in the bottles and ask fellow students to donate as well. Stoker says the club collects between $500 and $1,000 each year.

Besides providing money for the medical basics, the fundraiser also allowed the nurse to buy a large-size blood pressure cuff when one was needed and special supplies for students who have heart conditions.