Clipping for cash

Box tops can equal big money for Clear Lake school

We all know that clipping some coupons can save you some change.  But did you know box tops are worth thousands?

Last year Clear Creek Elementary School received $5,219.60 just from box tops turned in by the community and trimmed, bundled and sent in by volunteers.

Sure, it takes a lot of box tops to make that kind of money-- 52,196 to be exact, but it’s an easy way for the school district to receive over $20,000 annually say Julie Jones and Shawn Neuman, who have been heading up the box top effort this school year.

“We receive two checks each school year from box tops for education (one in December and one in April),” explained Jones.  

Recently, Fareway Stores also presented the school district with the donation of 5,000 box tops, the equivalent of $500 through the program.

Clear Creek has received about $3,000 per year the past three years and 100 percent of the money received benefits the students.  For example, funds have helped to pay for new technology devices to use in school, as well as field trips.

In addition, when a child brings in a bag of 100 clipped Box Tops or Labels with their name and grade written on it, they automatically get on the pizza party guest list.  The parties are held four to five times a year.

Those who don’t have students in school, or who aren’t able to nicely clip the box tops are still invited to help the school raise money through the program.  A bin is located in the Clear Creek school office for drop-offs 

The group chuckles at the idea they are like a morning coffee group at a local cafe.

“We kind of are,” said fifth grader Delaney Eden, one of five fifth grade girls who along with two sisters and a friend have become the morning clipping group.  They pull out their scissors and dig into the school collection bin from 7:35-8 a.m. each morning.   “We sit around the table every day and talk while we clip.  We just like doing it-- and it helps the school.”

The girls say their clipping efforts are strictly for Box Tops and Soup Labels for Education, Tyson Project A+ Labels are also welcomed.  The clippers remind the public to be sure the labels are dated 2014 and into the future.

In case you aren’t familiar with collecting these labels, here are some guidelines:

•Box Tops (worth 10-cents each): Cut along the dotted line as best as possible.  The district cannot receive money for expired tops. Expiration dates must be legible.

•Labels for Education (variety of points): Cut along the dotted lines as best as possible.  Usually there is no expiration, unless there is a label for a large point value.

•Tyson Project A+ (worth 24¢ each):  When dotted lines are provided, cut along those.  Other products require the full Project A+ promotion to be clipped.

•Campbells soup labels work differently.  The school gets points to - Read More Via e-Edition