Burgin Independent School is saying goodbye to a beloved third-grade teacher, Sarah Berry, after she died in a car wreck in Magoffin County on New Year’s Eve. In her memory, the school plans to place a bench at the school made out of plastic bottle caps and lids. 

According to WSAZ News in West Virginia, Kentucky State Police reported that Berry was traveling west on the Mountain Parkway in Salyersville when she lost control of her 2008 Nissan Sentra, crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 2013 Chevrolet pickup truck. 

Burgin Independent School Principal Chris LeMonds said the idea for the memorial bench came from a teacher who mentioned it in a staff meeting on Monday. 

He said the bench would serve as a “buddy bench” for kids who don’t have anything to do or anyone to play with during recess. The kids would be able to come and sit on the bench and know that someone is there sitting with them, he said. 

The bench being placed in memory of Berry will be made out of recycled plastic bottle caps and lids. 

LeMonds said he had never heard of this until the teacher brought up the idea on Monday. 

Right now, LeMonds said there is a bucket in the front office of Burgin Independent School to collect donated lids.

As of now, the school is unsure about how many lids they will need to collect to make the bench. LeMonds said he is also unsure about when the bench will be made.

“It’s one of those projects we will work on until we get it done,” he said. “I don’t think it will take too long.”

SO YOU KNOW

• If you would like to contribute to the buddy bench project, a list of accepted caps and lids is listed on the following website: http://bit.ly/2hPs2yi

• Burgin Independent School will dismiss at noon on Thursday so teachers and students can attend Sara Berry’s funeral at 2 p.m. at Carpenter’s Christian Church.