The Britton Home & School Club is close to reaching its $15,000 goal in a community-wide effort to recoup valuable funds lost in the shocking carnival chaos of several weeks ago.
As of May 14, $9,495 had been raised via the club’s crowdfunding page along with additional monies donated directly
“It’s just phenomenal,” said Jennifer Allen, president of the Britton all-volunteer, parent-run home and school club. “The way the community came together to help out Britton and the home and school club shows just how much they appreciated the carnival that is a community event.”
On April 27, the three-day Britton Carnival was shut down after Morgan Hill police officers were attacked by local students while arresting individuals suspected of possessing a knife on school grounds. In all, eight juveniles were arrested and charged for their part in the confrontation, which was responded to by nearly 50 law enforcement officers from multiple nearby agencies.
Only hours into Britton’s only fundraiser of the school year, local police and school officials had canceled the carnival for the rest of the weekend. The closure cost the school about $20,000 in projected fundraising dollars that help support student activities throughout the year, including the end-of-the-year celebrations.
Allen said that the fundraising efforts, set up on the crowdfunding site gofundme.org, are a testament to the Morgan Hill community’s desire not to have “a few bad apples to ruin it for the rest of us.”
Donations are still being accepted at gofundme.com/5y3v7f-britton-carnival-loss and also at the Britton front office, located at 80 W. Central Ave.
“Every time I check (the gofundme account) it puts a smile on my face,” said Allen, who has two children at Britton and has been involved in the school nonprofit club for the last two years. “It’s just amazing how many people in the community and outside of the community have helped us do what we need to do for the kids at Britton.”
Allen shared a story about one donor in particular, a former Morgan HIll resident who now lives in Philadelphia. She had read about the incident and was spurred to make a contribution, according to Allen.
“She sent a check in the mail with a wonderful card,” Allen said. “She said she was so sorry to hear what had happened and knew exactly what it takes to raise funds for a school.”
Many local families who do not have children attending Britton have also made donations to the account, Allen added.
The future of the Britton carnival is still uncertain, but Allen, who will remain with the home and school club next school year, wants to bring it back for the community, if possible.
