With collection jars placed in all first period classrooms at Escalon High School, members of the Escalon Key Club coordinated a unique fundraising drive over the past couple of weeks.

Goal was to raise money to benefit recovery efforts of the Butte Fire victims. The collection offered up some incentives – with donuts to the top donating classes.

There was also another bonus, as the Key Club partnered with the local MarVal Market, which is providing matching funds for local fire donations.

First place class in the collection was that of Mr. Young, bringing in $439.25, said Key Club officials. Second place went to Ms. Villines, $339.84; third was Mr. Dosanjh, $233.04; fourth was Mr. Beam, $228.38.

“We got donuts for the top four classes, delivered them on Monday,” said Key Club advisor and EHS teacher Rick Heflin.

The money was tallied up on Friday and between 10 participating first period classes, a total of $2,285.67 was collected. With the matching funds, that means more than $4,500 will go to the fire victims to help in the recovery process.

Fifth place went to Heflin’s class, at $200.17.

“I’m baking cookies for us,” Heflin said of treating his own class, noting they would be his ‘famous’ chocolate chip cookies.

In sixth place was Mr. Arzac’s class, $156; followed by Mr. Louro, $134.04; Mr. Oliveira, $111.12; Mr. Thompson, $104.18 and rounding out the top ten was Ms. Crow’s class, $84.52.

Key Club vice president Yajaira Salinas said she was pleased with the participation by the classes.

“It went really well and it’s exciting that MarVal is going to match the donation,” Salinas said.

The Key Club also has some other projects they will be doing this year, she added, and next up is collecting items to fill shoeboxes in the Operation Christmas Child effort.