Highland area charities receive donations
▪ The Highland High School LEO Club recently sent packages to some deployed military members. After hearing a presentation from Chip Schaefer of the Hope for Heroes Organization, the club decided to participate. At the club’s meeting, members signed about 100 Christmas cards.
On Dec. 4, they shopped for items to go into the packages. Working from a list provided by the Hope for Heroes organization, they gathered at the Highland Chamber of Commerce conference room to assemble six packages. Included were dental hygiene items, candy and phone cards.
Participating were LEO members Jessica Andrews and brother Ethan Andrews, Caitlyn Duncan, Emily Duncan, and Mallory Klostermann. Lions past district governor Earl Steiner is the LEO Club adviser. LEO members are active in the community supporting food drives for the food pantry, adopting a family at Christmas and Camp Lions.
Lions clubs sponsor approximately 5,800 Leo clubs in 140 countries. While helping others in their community, LEOs develop leadership skills and experience teamwork in action.
For more information about the LEO Club Program, visit the Youth Programs section of the Lions website at www.lionsclubs.org.
▪ Linda Lueders of Highland won the raffle drawing at Art in the Park on Oct. 10. She knew she would be out of town for the drawing and thought the purchase of the ticket would simply be her donation to Highland Arts Council. When she was notified that she had won the $500 to purchase art at Art in the Park, she graciously donated all of it back to the Council. HAC congratulates her on her generosity and support of its mission to bring the arts to the community and the surrounding areas. Her $5 purchase was multiplied 100-fold. HAC also thanks member and artist, Lynn Beil, for chairing the raffle sales team. To find out how you can help HAC with a donation of time, talent or dollars, call (618) 558-0054 or email lynnette@HighlandArtsCouncil.org.
▪ The Keith Jakel Memorial Scholarship fundraising committee held another successful Motorcycle Poker Run in 2015.
The committee, with the help of the Highland Area Community Foundation, has set up a memorial scholarship pass-through fund to be able to give a full tuition scholarship for St. Paul School each year. This is the fourth year for the $3,500 St. Paul School scholarship. Also, the committee awards two $1,000 scholarships to Highland High School graduating seniors to attend a vocational school. Both scholarships will depend on the amount raised by the committee at each year’s fund-raising event.
If you have any questions regarding these scholarships, contact Terry Riffel at the Highland Area Community Foundation at 654-4727, or by email to info@hacf.org.
▪ The HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital (Highland) Auxiliary celebrated a successful year by donating $20,000 to St. Joseph’s Hospital at its annual luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The money, which was raised through various fundraising activities throughout the year, will be used to make purchases that will improve patient care at the hospital.
“The Auxiliary exceeds our expectations year after year through their fundraising efforts and volunteerism,” said Peggy Sebastian, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital. “The volunteer roles that they fill at the hospital have direct impact on providing the best experience for patients and their families. We are truly blessed to have such an engaged and dynamic group serving St. Joseph’s Hospital.”
The Auxiliary fills many volunteer roles at St. Joseph’s Hospital, including valet parking service, serving as way-finding ambassadors to visitors and patients, acting as couriers for departments throughout the hospital, and staffing the gift shop. In addition to volunteer services, the Auxiliary hosts many fundraisers throughout the year including book sales, a garage sale, bake sales, fashion show, and jewelry sales.
This year’s Auxiliary leadership includes Sherry Fletcher, president; Jeanette Long, vice president; Rosalie Aschbacher, secretary; and Carol Kramper, treasurer. For more information about the Auxiliary and membership, call Jan Korte-Couch at 651-2593.
▪ Miss Madison County Peyton Gehrs received a donation from The Smile Shoppe for her Toys For Tots/Chili Dinner on Dec. 6. You can follow Peyton’s journey as Miss Madison County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Madcoqueens.
▪ The Kids Care Club at Highland Elementary recently organized the school’s donations to the Highland Area Christian Service Minsitry food pantry. This club is composed of fifth-graders who do community service throughout the school year.
▪ Highland Women’s Club recently presented the Highland Police Department, Highland Fire Department and Highland-Pierron Fire Department with break-time snacks.
The club also presented Assistant Principal Anne Hickey at the Highland Primary School with a check for $220 for reading materials. The money was collected for the Angel Fund from customers at Highland’s Tru-Buy, who in return, were given cookies in the shape of an angel.
▪ Rain and even some snowflakes did not keep the 1,484 Scouts and volunteers from picking up 123,745 pounds of donated food items throughout the Cahokia Mound District (CMD). Thank you for your donations and making this year’s Scouting for Food drive a success. CMD is part of Lewis and Clark council service area which covers Bond, and parts of Madison and St. Clair counties. Scouting-For-Food (SFF) is the largest national food drive. This is the 31st Annual SFF drive. All food collected is donated to the food pantries of that area.
▪ The Greater Gateway Association of REALTORS (GGAR) held its third annual “Taste of GGAR” in September at the Moose Lodge in Edwardsville. REALTORS, Affiliate Business Partners, family and friends raised over $5,300 to donate to local food pantries, including patries in Bond County, Highland, Livingston/Williamson, Maryville and Troy.
▪ The Knights of Council 6625 in Maryville gifted a stained glass window to Father McGivney High School. The window is viewable in the chapel of the new high school named in Father McGivney’s honor. McGinvey founded the Knights of Columbus, and his strength and determination in caring for the poor and suffering has contributed to him becoming a candidate for sainthood.
▪ For the past four years, the Troy Knights of Columbus Council 9266 has participated in the Coats for Kids program organized by the state K of C office. This program is designed to provide brand-new winter coats to children who do not have one.
The Troy council conducts three major fundraisers each year to support several local and international agencies who provide for those in need. The money needed to participate in the Coats for Kids campaign was obtained via the council’s golf scramble, and the new winter coats obtained through this program were donated to Ministries Unlimited. Betty Cothran, the Director of Ministries Unlimited, thanked the council for the coats and explained that she is often approached by families whose children do not have winter coats. The Council would like to thank the golfers and the sponsors of their golf scramble who make it possible to provide a winter coat to a needy child.
▪ In September, Allison’s HOPE hosted its annual golf outing at Sunset Hills Country Club. With the money raised, members of Allison’s HOPE presented a $10,000 check to the Anderson Hospital Foundation on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The donation will benefit the Friends of Hope Breast Diagnostic Center to help support the mission and vision of the Center, as well as, assist those unable to afford a screening mammogram. The Center was named in memory of Allison Cassens, the inspiration for Allison’s HOPE, and is located within the Warren Billhartz Cancer Center. Learn more about Allison’s HOPE by visiting the website www.AllisonsHOPE.com.
This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 3:44 AM with the headline "Highland area charities receive donations."