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Caps, Gowns Ready For OHS Seniors
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OHS parent Holly Caron, left, gives OHS counseling office secretary Dana Hernandez a hand with donated graduation caps and gowns to stock up Veronicas Care Closet on campus for underprivileged OHS students. - photo by Dawn M. Henley/The Leader

Veronica’s Care Closet at Oakdale High School, which serves underprivileged OHS students, was recently infused with a number of graduation caps and gowns from the community after an article in The Leader asking for cap and gown donations.

OHS counseling office secretary Dana Hernandez manages the Care Closet. She had reported that a number of graduating seniors didn’t have caps and gowns, and that there were students who have difficulty paying for them. If a cap and gown weren’t ordered in a timely manner, the cost at this time of year is about $80, compared to about $40 earlier in the year, Hernandez said.

The Caron family – Paul, Holly, Ashley, and Meghan – of Oakdale, who are part of the Modesto Alfred Matthews GMC Cadillac dealership family, recently made a $1,000 donation to the Care Closet after seeing The Leader article. Holly Caron said that the monetary donation is to purchase more caps and gowns for graduation if needed and whatever is left may be used to provide for other needs of the students who are served by the Care Closet.

“We want to show our support for the kids, they’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” Caron said. “We know that the community supports the kids, whether it’s sending them off to college or into the workforce.”

She added she was glad that the community responded to the call-out.

Hernandez said that the Care Closet will still accept red caps and gowns because it’s good to have some extras on hand and that may also help with the need for next year.

Veronica’s Care Closet serves students in need with everything from clothing, to school supplies, to food and hygiene items. Another upcoming need for the Care Closet is school supplies for the 2014-2015 school year, as school re-starts in August. Hernandez said that she’ll start shopping for some of those supplies in July when the sales start. She also works over the summer on the OHS campus during summer school. For those who want to donate school supplies, her summer hours are June 2 to July 10, Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at that time she’ll be in the attendance office.

She may be contacted at 847-3007 or at dhernandez@oakdale.k12.ca.us.