MOUNT DORA, Fla. – Gifts intended for soon-to-be graduates of Mount Dora High, including TVs and computers, were stolen early Thursday during a burglary at the school, officials said.
The thefts were reported around 3 a.m. at the school's McLin Fitness Center, which was also vandalized, police said.
The gifts were going to be handed out at Project Graduation, a "party (on May 19) that gives graduating seniors a safe, alcohol- and drug-free environment in which to celebrate," Lake County Schools said.
"They (seniors) were looking forward to it. That was the big thing at the end of the year... a lot were excited to get stuff for college," Mount Dora High School senior Jack Boat said.
The community donates the gifts, which include TVs, computers, coffee makers and other big-ticket items, for students to take to college.
The exact number of gifts and an estimate of their value was not immediately known, but Lake County Public Schools officials confirmed that electronics were stolen, and that more than $10,000 in damage had been done to the school's doors and windows.
"It's going to take the school a few days to go through their inventory to determine what was taken," Lisa McDonald with the city of Mount Dora said. "It's still an active investigation. They (police) are going through everything. They're going through evidence, the crime scene trying to piece together what happened."
The school district said several windows and doors of the school were damaged.
"We’re looking at having to replace 10 doors at about $1,000 per door," Owens said. "And that’s not including replacing broken glass and re-keying those doors."
"It was really a blow to their spirits. They're in their last week of testing. Next week is kind of a soft week and wrapping it up, saying goodbye. They didn't need that," Addie Owens, mother of a Mount Dora High School senior, said.
When she heard about the burglary, she said she knew she had to do something.
"As a business owner, I'm committed to replacing a few of those items, but I can't do it myself," Owens said in a video she posted to social media.
Owens is the owner of a realty business. She posted a one-minute video to Facebook, calling on the community to get results and save Project Graduation.
"All the items were originally donated by parents and business owners in the area. And that took from the beginning of the school year up to this point," she said. "It took all of that nine months to get those items donated. So for us to pull this off in 13 days is a huge undertaking, but I know we can do this."
Owens said their fundraising goal is $5,000.
"We've had people drop off cash, we've had people drop off checks, and we already have a commitment for a $3,500 anonymous donation," she said.
Owens said the seniors are learning one last lesson before they graduate.
"They're learning a more important life lesson and that community is important," she said. "We know our community and there's no way we're going to allow our children and these seniors to go without."
Students said they are thankful for the community's support.
"It's kind of pride. It's good to hear everyone in Mount Dora is pitching in," Boat said.
Addie Owens said she is giving all the donations to the school as she receives them. Anyone who would like to donate can call her office at 352-223-0053.
Crimeline is offering a reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the school burglary and vandalism case.