The Lake Elmo Elementary Parent Teacher Association—along with school staff, administrators, and various community partners—will host a special event Thursday evening called Sharing is Caring to kick off the annual food and winter clothing drive.

The event will take place at Lake Elmo Elementary on Thursday, Nov. 29 from 5-7 p.m. with dinner provided by the Lake Elmo Inn.

This will be the fourth year of the Food and Winter Clothing Drive and is an event the whole family can participate in.

"Coming together to for a dinner is an amazing way to connect and share in this community effort," Crista Walsh, PTA president said. “Bringing these opportunities to our families and connecting with local businesses and community group demonstrates to our students that they too can have a significant impact in the success of our local community."

The event with have a variety of activities, highlighted below:

• A spaghetti dinner from the Lake Elmo Inn, including pasta, red sauce, chicken alfredo or meat sauce, salad, bread and dessert.
• Lake Elmo Cub Scout Pack 224 will be collecting non-perishable food and new or gently- used winter clothing donations.
• The Lake Elmo Lions will be busy helping throughout the meal.
• Students from Cathy's Music Studio in Lake Elmo will provide entertainment throughout the night.
• The Lake Elmo Girl Scouts will have a craft station benefiting the Animal Humane Society.
• Community Thread and Valley Friendship Club will have a craft making stations where you can make cards and stocking stuffers for the Holiday Bureau.
• The Lake Elmo Bank and Lake Elmo Oil are sponsoring a station with Karron Nottingham, a resident-artist, and her Off the Wall Studio to benefit seniors in the community.
• The Lake Elmo Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network will have a station benefiting military members and their families.
• Spirit Club students will help create a Thank You for the many volunteers in the school.
• A Scholastic Bookfair where you can pick up holiday gifts and buy Lake Elmo Inn Gift Certificates.

There is no charge for this event, and all are welcome, but an RSVP is required.

Families are asked to consider bringing non-perishable food and/or any new or gently used winter clothing items for donation and a $5 per plate donation for dinner.

To RSVP, visit http://lakeelmoelementary.my-pta.org/ or email LakeElmoPTA@gmail.com.

You can also sign up to volunteer on the site as well.