Published Friday, November 20, 2009
Can-A-Thon drives at schools end today
The Newnan Times-Herald
The Coweta Can-A-Thon is entering its home stretch, and today is the last big day for school collections.
The official end of the Can-A-Thon is always the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, it's Dec. 1.
Because Coweta school students have a full week's vacation for Thanksgiving, most schools are wrapping up their Can-A-Thon efforts today.
Students can still bring in canned goods and monetary donations on Nov. 30, said Dean Jackson, public information officer for the Coweta School System, but today is the big day, for the most part.
At Lee Middle School, Principal Bob Heaberlin expects to see a lot of cans arrive today for Sixth Grade Spirit Day. Lee was last year's top school, collecting some 45,000 worth of cans and cash equivalent.
"We are at 25,000 cans already," said Heaberlin Thursday afternoon. "The Friday before Thanksgiving is our big day for Can-A-Thon, so we're expecting to raise a lot in just one day."
At Arbor Springs Elementary, teachers adopted a "can-struction" theme to encourage giving. Classes adopted names like "Travis's Tractors" and "Norman's Nailers," and the school put up a bulletin board in the front hall using construction cones to represent every 10 cans collected by each class.
"All the kids are really interested, really excited, and really bringing in a lot of food," said Arbor Springs Principal Patti Falk. "We have only 460 kids this year due to redistricting, and we've already exceeded last year's total when we had almost 700. They've done great."
Some of the canned goods collected at the schools have already been delivered to the Coweta Community Food Pantry -- helping to get the shelves full for Thanksgiving.
Poplar Road Elementary School teachers held a "pre-Can-A-Thon" in late October to get the drive started, and they raised nearly 1,500 cans, Jackson said. Since then, students have brought in an additional 2,500 items.
Food Pantry Director Derenda Rowe said the mother of one of her pantry volunteers works at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School. The volunteer was so concerned pickings were so slim at the pantry, on Monday, she went out and collected some of the items that had already been counted at the school "so we would have food," Rowe said.
On Tuesday, an anonymous donor purchased $5,000 worth of food, and items from other schools started to roll in.
Rowe said she was contacted by school system personnel about receiving the school donations this week, which makes things a lot easier on Can-A-Thon day for both school system personnel and food pantry employees.
It also means the pantry will be able to help needy Coweta families have a bountiful Thanksgiving.
"Unlike most years, when it is slim pickings at Thanksgiving, we're going to be able to feed the people well," Rowe said.
People in Coweta appear to really be stepping up to the plate this year, because everyone knows how much need there is right now.
Local businesses are supporting the Can-A-Thon in full force. Some local shops are offering discounts to people who bring in canned goods to donate, said Lora Beck, Can-A-Thon chairwoman for the Newnan Junior Service League, which organizes the annual event.
"I think everybody is responding, and I feel confident we are going to exceed our goals," said Beck. This year's goal is 325,000 in food items and monetary donations.
Rowe said people she speaks to all seem very concerned. "Maybe it is that they each have a family member of their own that is struggling ... they all seem to know someone that needs help."
And participating in the Can-A-Thon is "a good way for people to participate in helping that is not a big time commitment," Beck said. People can just pick up some extra items when they are grocery shopping.
"Some people don't have that time to give," Beck said. "This is a small way people can help out."
