Shoppers’ Purchases Benefit Schools

More than $40,000 in prizes were awarded to all 27 public and private elementary schools in the Conejo Valley as part of The Oaks mall’s “Tools 4 Schools” program, a spokeswoman said.

In the contest, held from September through May, shoppers at the Thousand Oaks shopping center designated receipts from mall purchases to the school of their choice, mall spokeswoman Diane Boyd said.

The schools were awarded five points for each dollar of the receipts, which were cashed in for prizes ranging from computer and video equipment to gift certificates, Boyd said.

Sales receipts designated for the 27 schools totaled more than $1.2 million, Boyd said. Nearly 80% of the schools reached their goal of earning more than 200,000 points to win a piece of equipment, Boyd said.

Most of the winners selected computers, although some requested televisions and other audiovisual equipment, Boyd said. The remaining schools won gift certificates to be redeemed at one of the mall’s educational or recreational stores, she said.

The top 10 schools receiving points were Hillcrest Christian, Ascension Evangelical Lutheran, Weathersfield, St. Paschal’s Baylon, Westlake Hill, Acacia, St. Jude the Apostle, Wildwood, Maple and Madrona.

The program will continue next year, Boyd said.