Couple Fulfills All of February’s Requests – Great Falls Tribune

Inspired by the weekly stories of students in need printed in the Great Falls Tribune, Beau and Raean Bilbrey, co-owners of All State Signs, made the decision to help the students in need in their community. However, selecting which need to fulfill was daunting. “How do you pick one student’s need over another?” asked Raean Bilbrey. “With six children of our own, we could not just fulfill one or two. It was all or nothing!”

The couple contacted My Student in Needand said they wanted to fulfill every need request in Great Falls for the entire month of February. “I was simply blown away by their offer of kindness,” said Dave Snuggs, president and founder of My Student in Need. “We have had other caring folks fulfill multiple needs but to offer to fulfill every request for an entire month … amazing.”

As the need requests came into the offices of My Student in Need, they were immediately matched with funds provided by All State Signs. This allowed for these needs to be fulfilled instantly. “These were the fastest fulfillments we had ever seen. A need request would come in and in less than a minute it was fulfilled thanks to the donor’s generosity,” Snuggs said. In all, All State Signs donated $2,541, of which every penny was used to fulfill a specific need request.

“These folks have a history of helping our youth by donating signs and banners for numerous sporting events as well as helping with a Legacy Wall for a local Wrestling organization. February just happened to be our turn to receive their help and what a difference they made,” Snuggs said.

Current Needs

A kindergarten boy, age 6, is in need of size one youth tennis shoes. His current pair is too small and not appropriate for wear. If you are able to assist, you can either donate a gently used pair or make a donation of $30 to My Student in Need, and we will buy the shoes on your behalf. The identification number is Loy No. 1009.

A first-grade girl, age 7, is in need of clothing: pants size 7, shirts size 7/8, socks and underwear. The socks and underwear must be new and in the original packaging. If you are able to assist, you can either purchase a $75 Target or Wal-Mart Gift Card or donate $75 to My Student in Need, and we will buy the gift card on your behalf. The teacher has agreed to take the student shopping for the needed items. The identification number is Lincoln No. 1008.

C.M. Russell High will have 81 of its students participating in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) Expo on April 11, and it goes from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. The students have been working for five weeks on research, conducting their own experiments based on a hypothesis and writing an extensive MLA research paper. The school would like to supply juice, water, granola bars, fruit and other miscellaneous snacks for this four-hour time commitment of our students. Last year we were fortunate enough to obtain through My Student in Need a $200 Wal-Mart gift card that worked perfectly for this. If you can assist, you can contribute any amount toward the purchase of the gift card to My Student in Need. The identification number is C.M. Russell High School No. 1005.

To help a Student in Need

If you would like to help, visit www.mystudentinneed.org and scroll down to the list of schools. The number next to the school represents the number of current needs at that school. The needs can change every day. Find a need request and click on the Fulfill This Need Request button. Or you can call 406-750-2542. Financial needs donations are made directly to the business that will fulfill the need or to the school. Send financial donations to: My Student in Need, 525 Central Ave. Great Falls MT 59401. Remember to make checks payable to My Student in Need. Your donation is tax deductible.