Jason Cook, a custodian at Eastern Elementary admitted to stealing cash from a donation jar.
GRAND TRAVERSE CO. -- A Traverse City Area Public School employee is behind bars, accusedof stealing from a fundraising jar in a second grade classroom.
Each classroom at Eastern Elementary was raising money for different charities. The second graders chose "Pennies for Patches", a campaign providing stuffed teddy bears to children of military families.
On April 25, staff members reported $200 in change was stolen from the donation jar in the classroom. Several weeks later staff members again noticed several hundred dollars missing from the jar.
Monday, Detectives from the Traverse City Police Department arrested a TCAPS employee for the crime. Jason Cook, 34, is a custodian at the school. Cook was arrested during a traffic stop and investigators say he admitted to stealing the cash on four separate occasions.
Cook is charged with Larceny from a Building, which is a 4-year felony.
After the theft was reported, community members donated to the school project. Within 24 hours of the first incident, about $3,000 was donated to the second graders.
The Principal of the school, Jana DuGuay said the outpouring of support from the community helped turn a negative situation into a positive lesson in giving.
"It's so encouraging to the children. The focus is no longer on the unfortunate incident. The community has inspired us to help others, which was the intent of the original program," explains DuGuay. "I don't think the children were expecting such an outpouring of support. The community was just rushing in to help Wednesday. Dozens of community members were just flooding in."
"The children are in awe. I'm just so pleased that the community modeled for the students. It's called the Community Heroes Project and the heroes of this community have stepped up for our students," adds DuGuay.
To make a donation call Eastern Elementary at (231)933-1660.
