Kids First Program helps needy kids throughout the school year
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Several years ago Chester Grade School started a new program to assist students with things like books, shoes, school supplies, clothing and other necessities that cannot be afforded by the family. The program is titled, "Kids First".
The program is coordinated by Amy Eggemeyer, District # 139 Nurse. The Nurses Offices is the hub of activity throughout the day, every day and Eggemeyer comes into contact with students with not only medical needs but many other types of need such as those mentioned above.
For decades there has been some sort of program at CGS for "needy kids". Former nurses always seemed to inherit the duty of maintaining a locker with extra clothes, shoes, school supplies and other items for those students who seemed to be without.
About one decade ago Melanie Winters, who was the nurse at the time, and Dr. Jim Beers, who was the District Wellness Coordinator, attempted to organize the "needy kid" supplies and actually recruit assistance from the community to keep the numerous lockers and clothing barrels full throughout the year.
Christmas was especially critical for students in need and area churches pitched in to make sure those students would have a gift and food for Christmas. That Christmas activity was called the "Adopt-A-Family Program" and the First United Methodist Church of Chester and St. John Church acted as major donors to purchase, wrap and deliver gifts to the student's homes on Christmas Eve. Teachers also adopted a family or two to make the process successful.
Winters retired several years ago and her replacement, "Nurse Amy" as she is called at CGS took over coordination of the project and she has revolutionized the effort by networking with numerous other community resources.
Tim Lochhead, CGS Principal, stated that Eggemeyer had so much money coming in that he highly recommended that Eggemeyer start the new "Kids First" program. A special account was opened to safely store all of the money being channeled through the school for needy kids and Eggemeyer became driven to requite new sponsors, new supplies and new sources of revenue.
"Kids First" is now better able to account for donations and Eggemeyer and her volunteer staff have more resources with which to care for students who need assistance in several areas.
The most recent major activity was the annual Christmas Gift Project which this year provided approximately 107 gifts for roughly 60 different families. Eggemeyer notes that this year's project valued approximately $9,000.00 which included $4,500.00 in toys, $2,000.00 in clothing and likely another $2,500.00 in donations of wrapped gifts from the community resources.
Wal Mart has become a major sponsor of the Kids First Program. This year Wal Mart alone donated $2,000.00 to Kids First. Another major sponsor was a group of individuals from Jacob, Illinois who call themselves, "Wee Care". That group donated $1,000.00 to Kids First this year.
Other sponsors this year included Southwestern Illinois Bus Company (SWIBCO), Margaret Pierce, Bill and Evelyn Schuwerck, the New Palestine Methodist Church, Kim Fedderke, the Chester High School Football Team who received a major donation from NighteHawk Coal, Carol Bert, Richard Allison, St. John Church, the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, the American Legion of Chester, Ed Fischer Law Offices, the Methodist Men of the First United Methodist Church of Chester, the First Baptist Church of Chester, Steve and Cathy Belcher, Sue and Cecil Dunning and the Alpha Upsillon Master of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Eggemeyer and her helping elf volunteers held a huge gift wrapping activity Sunday afternoon December 18 i8n the CGS Cafeteria. Eggemeyer notes that the turnout was so great that the entire activity was completed in less than an hour. The task typically takes several hours.
Eggemeyer recognizes the following individuals who helped wrap gifts including the Chester Grade School Beta Club, Mr. Tim Lochhead and two of his sons, Zach and Jacob, Michelle Kelkhoff, Rebecca Cowell, retired CGS teachers Tracy Colvis, Gail Kordys and Kasi Jany, Lisa Page, Ashley page, Kelly Jany, Brandy Worley and the Alpha Upsillon Master of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Eggemeyer wishes to thank everyone who helped make the 2011 Christmas Gift Project such a huge success and hopes that the Kids First Program can continue to assist students throughout the rest of the 2011-2012 school year.