Sarah Lockridge, pictured in the center and next to teacher Scott Erba (to her left), stands with students who collected toiletry items for recovering addicts. InkFreeNews Photo by Dan Spalding.

WARSAW — As Sarah Lockridge endeavors to collect $10,000 to use for clothing and personal supplies for recovering addicts, she said she recently began to worry that she might not raise enough money to set aside for toiletries.

And then she got an email from Warsaw Community High School teacher Scott Erba, who learned about Lockridge’s efforts.

Erba read a story in InkFreeNews about Lockridge’s desire to raise enough money to provide clothing and personal hygiene items for every person who is in an addiction recovery house in Kosciusko County before Christmas.

Erba, who is the health and physical education department leader, talked about the fundraising efforts with students and they agreed to collect toiletry items. The project, he said, tied in well as the class finished a unit on alcohol and drugs.

On Tuesday, the sophomore students presented Lockridge with bags of items ranging from toothpaste to detergent to deodorant and tampons.

Lockridge has raised $5,800. She and others have already begun shopping for clothing, including coats, hats, socks and underwear — the basics that many addicts often don’t have enough of after being released from jail.

She said they were able to make their dollars stretch by using Kohl’s Cash that provided about $600 in additional spending power.

Lockridge continues to accept donations to ensure that all 92 people in seven recovery houses receive about $100 in clothing and toiletry items. To learn more, go to her Facebook page, called SOS: Save our Sobriety.