Receipts collected for the benefit of Bigfork Elementary
Toot and TJ Sward hold up a total amount raised after tabulating receipts from Harvest Foods last season. (photo provided)
The dynamic duo of TJ and Toot Sward are back at it again.
The mother and son team that has been helping collect and count Harvest Food receipts in coordination with Register Tapes for Education for the past five years collected nearly $900,000 in receipts for the program last season.
Through the program, schools collect receipts from participating grocery stores, strike alcohol, tobacco and gasoline sales, then tally them up for a total dollar amount to send to Register Tapes for Education.
That dollar amount translates into points for the program, which Bigfork Elementary/Middle School Secretary Carol Venegas said they can redeem for school supplies purchased through a special catalog.
The program runs from September 1 through March 31 each year.
Last season, Toot and TJ spent more than 100 hours adding, sorting and otherwise “auditing” receipts to reach a grand total of $898,994.25.
According to Toot, she and TJ became involved with the program after she went to the school to drop off receipts and found there was no single person dedicated to going through them and adding the totals.
“I thought to myself that this would be something great to do together with TJ, who has a learning disability,” she said. “It has really helped with his dyslexic tendencies. It has been a win-win situation for everyone.”
What started as a $200,000 collection the first year has turned into nearly a million dollar endeavor.
“It’s a lot of work, but it is fun work because we get to do it all together,” Toot said. “TJ just loves to be involved and this is a wonderful way that he can give back to his community.”
This year’s collection season is already well underway and TJ and Toot are once again hard at work.
Harvest Foods receipts for the project can be dropped of at Denny’s Barber Shop’s community bulletin board, the Washboard Laundromat, Bigfork Chamber office, The Liquor Barn and, of course, Bigfork Elementary School office.
Toot only asks that people do not mark through items that do not count, as she will take care of that.
To be eligible, receipts have to be dated after Sept. 1, 2023.