The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Helping hand
Christmas Basket Program a success
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: January 10, 2008
Seniors Chase McGettigan (left) and Drew Allum used their senior project to make a difference. They organized and collected hundreds of cans from the donations of ninth- through 12th-grade students at Milan High School. Students throughout the district held can food drives for the Milan Rotary Club's Christmas Basket Program.
Thirty-four Milan families had a brighter holiday season in light of the success of the Milan Rotary Club's first Christmas Basket Program, which distributed from three to seven boxes of food to each family.
Milan Rotary President Bryan Girbach credited the success of the program to a wide community effort.
"While Rotary members and high school students packed the boxes, the program was a success because of everyone who helped rekindle the previous Civitan project," Girbach said.
The Christmas basket project was traditionally organized by Milan's Civitan Club, which disbanded last year.
After a year hiatus, the program was revived by Milan Rotary Club.
Each school in the Milan Area School District held a food drive to support the program. Paddock and Symons each ran building-wide food drives. The middle school had a staff food drive, as well as a student project sponsored by the Six Pillar Club.
At the high school, Chase McGettigan and Drew Allum made the can food drive their senior project. In addition, the administrative team and Milan school board also contributed food to the program.
Aid in Milan helped qualify the families and provided the Rotary Club with a list of people who needed support.
"Nina Pemberton contributed a great deal of time and effort to help make the first annual Christmas Basket Program a huge success," Girbach said of Aid in Milan's director. "She contacted families, sent letters and coordinated the entire development of those who would receive support."
The Rotary Club raised in excess of $2,300 from more than 40 area businesses to supplement the food collected by Milan students.
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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