Jefferson Wins Dodgeball Tourney To Benefit Combined Community Services
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Food and money collected this weekend during the Food-A-Thon will go to Combined Community Services to help needy family through the winter. The Food-A-Thon to collect food for CCS is hosted by local radio stations ESPN 1480, Lake City Rock 107.3 WRSW and Willie 103.5. It continues from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Martin’s Supermarket. Friday night, four Warsaw Community Schools elementaries competed against one another in a dodgeball tournament during the Food-A-Thon Family Fun Night to support the food drive. “We’re seeing over 600 families per month. Tonight’s efforts by the schools will help us feed people in the community,” stated Peggi Lisenbee-Wright, CCS director of client assistance. She thanked the community for being supportive of CCS. The first game pitted Leesburg versus Jefferson, with Jefferson claiming victory and moving on to the championship game. Lincoln then took on Harrison, taking Harrison down in a stunner. In the championship game, the Jefferson Spartans defeated the Lincoln Lions. CCS Executive Director Steve Possell said as of Friday night, the Food-A-Thon this year was on track to surpass the 2012 event. It received some “big farm donations,” he said, from the Anglins, Bishops, Mike Long and Clunette Elevator. The farm donations totaled about $15,000, Possell estimated. The Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation started this year’s food drive off with a $25,000 donation. “We expect over $40,000 in cash and checks,” Possell said. Today’s event at Martin’s will be a big day for donations, Possell said. He also stressed that all donations during the Food-A-Thon will go to food, not building, equipment or salaries. “We’re seeing more families now because the food pantry is Client Choice,” he noted. Since people can choose what groceries they want and there’s more healthy food to choose from, he said there’s less waste. CCS also has more refrigerator space so it can have food items like yogurt, milk and other dairy products. He said the Food-A-Thon should help CCS get through March or April, but they are seeing 500 to 600 families a month come to the food pantry. CCS continues to get support from places like Little Caesar’s, which donates pizzas, and Midwest Poultry, which gives about 400 dozen eggs a month. “It’s a lot of work, a lot of food,” Possell concluded about the Food-A-Thon. “We have guys back at the office putting away food now as we speak.” Friday’s Family Fun Night also featured a raffle of prizes donated by many local businesses, and two of the Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders, sponsored by Dr. Michael Lyons II. People could have their picture taken with the cheerleaders for $5. Jeff Nycz, local photographer, was on site to take the pictures of the Colt Cheerleaders and fans. The cheerleaders were Brittany E. and Sharlotte H. (the cheerleaders are not allowed to give out their last name). Brittany said what the cheerleaders do is not just cheer on game days. They also participate in community activities like the Family Fun Night to interact with fans. “We probably do 50 appearances a year each, from this to dance-a-thons to clubs. Plus 10 home games a year,” Brittany said. Before each home game, Sharlotte added, the cheerleaders make appearances and interact with the fans. There are 26 women on the cheer team.
