Lapeer County families in need were the recipients of thousands of food, gift and clothing donations this holiday season from the Lapeer Community Schools family.Schools throughout the District sponsored Goodfellows food drives in November and early December. Not all kept exact records of donations, but a few examples show the generosity of the students, the students’ families and staff.
Most of the Goodfellows non-perishable food and paper products come from donations from the Lapeer schools and this year’s result was larger than the 2008 drive, said Karen Rykhus, Goodfellows president.
“We were able to help more than 200 Lapeer County families,” Mrs. Rykhus said. “They did an awesome job. They came through like gangbusters.”
Lapeer East and Lapeer West each collected more than 2,800 individual food donations for a total of more than 5,700 donations.
Students and staff at Lapeer West also helped a number of families with gifts through a “Giving Tree” effort.
A Toys for Tots effort at Lapeer East collected more than 650 toys, the best in the school’s history. All are destined for Lapeer County children. East National Honor Society students also helped with the packing of the food for distribution.
In addition to the Goodfellows food drive, Zemmer Junior High School staff, students, parents and general contractor Barton Malow employees at the Rolland-Warner Middle School site, donated $2,200 through a “Penny War” to make Christmas a happy one for 11 children from four families. Student council shopped for the children and each family also received a gift card from Meijer.
Murphy Elementary School students collected 2,163 cans of food and the Murphy staff adopted several families.
The Murphy community also donated nearly 100 new and gently used coats. Students in one Murphy class made scarves for special needs students at the Lapeer County Intermediate School District Education and Technology Center.
At Lynch Elementary, 1,305 items were donated to the Goodfellows drive and three families were adopted. Student council also held a returnable can drive for another family and raised $52.
Students in one Lynch sixth grade classroom donated $5 each and purchased items off the giving tree. A retired teacher who now lives in a nursing home was also adopted by the Lynch staff and will enjoy a happy Christmas.
“This has been a very tough year for so many of our families,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson. “Once again the generosity of our staff, students and their families astounds me.”
Mayfield Elementary students and staff collected 1,099 items of food for Goodfellows and adopted a large family for donations of Christmas gifts.
Turrill Elementary students collected 1,745 cans of nonperishable items for the Goodfellows drive. The school has also started a fund, patterned after a similar one at Maple Grove Elementary School that helps families all year round.
Students at Elba-Seaton, Maple Grove and Schickler Elementary Schools also had successful Goodfellows drives, but totals were not available.
Staff at the Administration & Services Center adopted a family with a “Giving Tree” effort and supplied them with gifts, food and gift cards to brighten their season.
A couple of school support groups also kicked in with help for the community.
At the November luncheon, members of the Lapeer High School Alumni Association donated $540 to Goodfellows, $89 to Holiday Depot, donated six large black plastic bags full of toys, 43 grocery bags full of food and three large boxes and three large bags of new and gently used winter clothing, such as coats, hats, blankets, scarves, mittens and leggings.
A Craft Fair at Lapeer East in early December included a food drive for Kids In New Directions and visitors brought nearly ten boxes of donated food.
