Food drive supports fired fairy

ST. CHARLES, Mo., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A resident of a Missouri town said he is organizing a food drive to show support for the Sugar Plum Fairy, who was fired by the city for cursing at a drug test.

Mike Swart of St. Charles, whose Facebook page aiming to save Laura Coppinger's job has thousands of "likes," said his food drive will focus on both traditional food donation items as well as sweets, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday.

Coppinger, 29, who has portrayed the Sugar Plum Fairy for the past six years at the city's annual Christmas Traditions festival, was fired recently for using profanity while taking a drug test mandated for all city employees.

Swart said he is hoping the food drive will convince city officials to change their minds.

They can bring a bag of sugar, a pack of cookies, some candy -- things the Sugar Plum Fairy might endorse -- or canned goods," Swart said. "I think we should harness the passion and the excitement everybody has here and do something good with it."

Coppinger said she has been touched by the outpouring of support since her firing.

"It's very exciting to know that Sugar Plum Fairy has inspired so many people and has made people's Christmases and that people are standing up for her and for me as the actress playing her," she said.