Warren County Middle School Interact Club members know it’s better to give than to receive, a saying that’s especially true during the Christmas season.
The club raised $1,850 to be divided between eight organizations. Donations were presented Tuesday at the school.
Money was raised by Interact dues, a dunking booth members had at the Autumn Street Fair, baked goods sold during the street fair, and donations received from the Breakfast Rotary Club and Noon Rotary Club.
The club’s motto is “Service Above Self” which is what Interact Club sponsors Susan Barrett and Kevin Dunlap try to instill as a lifelong lesson.
Receiving Interact Club donations were:
Share A Christmas Dinner $200 – Provides Christmas dinners to needy families in the community. Share organizer Sharon Patrick said, “We want everyone to have a Christmas dinner. Each food box costs approximately $30. We could not do it without checks like this. We really do appreciate it.”
Romanian Orphanage $250 – Provides food, shelter and necessities to orphaned children. Breakfast Rotary has been donating money to the orphanage for more than a decade. The orphanage depends on donations to offer children necessities we often take for granted, such as food and shelter.
Nursing Home Christmas $200 – Provides Christmas presents for area nursing home residents.
Smile Train $250 – An organization which provides free cleft surgery to poor children living in developing countries. The donation was made for Barrett, who was born with a cleft pallet and had 13 surgeries to correct the cleft and make it where she could speak clearly.
Kids of the Community $250 – An organization in which activities are planned between caring adults and at-risk children creating a positive future for the children.
Birthing Tree Fund $200 – Restoration of the Birthing Tree.
Habitat for Humanity $250 – Provides the gift of home ownership to those willing to work and pay back a no-interest mortgage.
Hamilton Street Activity Center $250 – Offers homework assistance, afternoon snacks, supervised activities and organized play to school-age children who live at McMinnville Housing Authority.
Share is offered by the Southern Standard. The program began in 1981 to help those less fortunate over the holidays by providing them with a box of food for Christmas.
Patrick said, “We are still short of our goal. We would appreciate it if anyone who still wants to make a donation will do so. The boxes will handed out next Friday, Dec. 19, to people who have received letters saying they are eligible for a box. We very much want to reach our goal.”
Share donations can be dropped off at the newspaper office, 105 College Street, or mailed to Southern Standard, attention Share, P.O. Box 150, McMinnville, Tenn., 37111.