BEAUMONT, Texas — The Homer Drive Elementary School is trying to collect 200 pounds of plastic bottle caps to create a 'buddy bench' for students.
Principal Belinda George said she got the idea from a student at Haley Elementary School all the way out in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
"I friended the mother on Facebook, and her daughter felt sorry for kids that had no one to play with," said George.
"I friended her mother a while back on Facebook," George said. "Her daughter's name is Sammie... she felt sorry for children that didn't have anyone to play with."
The project requires 200 pounds of the bottle caps, and the principal says the school hopes to fill a large barrel full of the plastic caps in order to complete the 'buddy bench.'
George said a student at the playground who feels lonely can sit on the bench, and hopefully this will push other students to go up to the bench and ask that kid to play.
"We have a shipping company that will pick them up and they fix the bench for us and ship it back," said George.
George said the school has been collecting plastic caps but they still don't have a full barrel yet. Community members are invited to donate a barrel to hold the donations or to donate plastic bottle caps.