SYRACUSE - One song sung by a child will help raise more than $900 for local food banks this Christmas.

Ashley Lyon, 9, of Syracuse and a Milford Elementary School student, first recorded and started selling the one-song CD as part of the Milford United Methodist Church annual auction. The song, "Call on Jesus," was one Ashley had sung before at church.

Her father Mike Lyon asked Ashley if she wanted to do more for the community. She agreed and seeing in the news that food banks' supplies were going dry, they agreed to raise money for the Northern Indiana Food Bank. More specifically, the Syracuse food pantry and Combined Community Services will get a portion of the proceeds. Mike said the Northern Indiana Food Bank, South Bend, told him if they donated the money to the food bank first, the food bank could get a better deal by buying in bulk. CCS and the Syracuse food pantry are two of the organizations the food bank helps supply.

Ashley recorded "Call on Jesus" Nov. 18 at Downstairs Studio. The studio is a side project for Mike and a cousin. The song, Mike said, "just kind of came up at the spur of the moment."

"I raised probably over $900 from it," said Ashley. She said she chose the song because "it expresses my feelings about Jesus and it's a better experience for me because normally I sing slower songs and this one is faster."

Approximately 100 CDs were sold for donations. In addition, Mike said, two businesses will donate more money in Ashley's name, raising the estimate to around $1,500.

He said they want businesses also to donate in order to get more community involvement with the project. Ashley can only do so much and the food banks "need a lot more."

All the CDs that were made this year have been sold, Mike said. In fact, they exceeded the number they had planned to sell, but still will accept donations for the food bank.

All the money raised will be presented to the Northern Indiana Food Bank president Dec. 12 during Channel 22's "22 Days of Giving." Anyone still wanting to donate should donate by Tuesday, Mike said.

It's no surprise that Ashley is singing to help others. She sings in church and sometimes in school programs. She just enjoys singing. "It helps my voice and it's something I'm really into," she said.

And making a CD is nothing new to her, either.

"Well, I did it before with my cousins and sister because we do it every year for Christmas so I'm pretty used to it," she said.

If Ashley wants to make a CD next year to help the community, Mike said, they may record a few more songs, depending on what Ashley wants to do.

Mike said, "... We'll be more prepared if we do it next year."

For more information, contact Mike at home at 574-457-2033 or via e-mail [email protected] [[In-content Ad]]