This past Tuesday, November 27, 2018 the Grinnell Rotary Club gathered at the Westside Family Restaurant for their weekly meeting. The Rotary Club's guest speaker was Deanna Vogt from Second Mile, who shared information about the history of the Christmas Share program.
Vogt expressed that the Christmas Share began in 1987 in which volunteers identified those families with a financial or health need to have something extra during the holiday seasons. Original items provided were a towel or sweatshirt. Over the years, the Christmas Share program changed in order to give items that were needed and identified by families. Today the Christmas Share serves more than 170 families. Organizations throughout the community signed up to serve families between September and October this past year. Sponsors who sign up received an anonymous family, and were provided a needs list in which they would purchase and donate items for the family. Items purchased by sponsors will be distributed on December 15. The Grinnell- Newburg Boys Basketball Team under the leadership of Coach Sharp, will once again help on distribution day.
If you are looking for more information regarding the Christmas Share program, please contact Pam Montgomery at Second Mile.
Rotary will meet next week on Tuesday December 4, 2018 at Westside for their Holiday Dinner and singing performed by Shults and Company.
Janet M. Stutz