Times-Beacon
photo by Ann Marie Coen
Doug Ruhlin hands a basket
of donated food to Ashley Ziegler, president
of the Interact Club at Lacey Township High
School. |
The Holiday Elf Program supplies food and presents
for more than 100 families in Lacey, Waretown and
Barnegat, Rotary Club President Dan Cortese said.
Each club Rotarian shopped for an individual
family -- the first 60 families to enter their names
and most with two or three children each, Cortese
said.
The Interact Club shopped for the remaining
families, 107 children in all, Cortese said.
Families are chosen from a list of people in the
three towns that are eligible for free lunches. Then
families are contacted so the shoppers have an idea
of what the children and family need, Cortese said.
Beginning in November, both clubs conduct food
drives, collecting items for food baskets.
Collections took place at the high school and bins
were placed in the lobby of ShopRite, Cortese said.
"We emptied the barrels at ShopRite a couple
of times a day and stored the food in our
trailer," said Cortese.
The Rotary Club also shopped for large hams that
would become a centerpiece in many of the food
baskets.
The Interact and Rotary Club, joined by some
members of the high school National Honor Society,
began their food basket assembly Sunday, said Julie
Pignatora, Interact advisor. They assembled 145
baskets, 88 of which included a large ham.
With an overabundance of food, the clubs were
able to donate a pickup truck filled with food to
the Lacey Township Food Bank, Cortese said.
Pignatora brought 38 of her Interact students on
a shopping trip at Target in Toms River to gather
gifts to be donated. The store opened early, giving
the students a four-hour window between 7:30 and
11:30 a.m. The club provided enough funding to allow
for $75 to be spent on each child.
Some of the purchases included bikes, CD players
and PlayStations. Coats and shoes, along with other
necessities, were also purchased.
"It was a mix of what families needed and
also what would be fun for the children," said
Cortese.
Shopping was a highlight of the experience for
some of the student volunteers.
Interact students paired up with Rotary Club
drivers Tuesday to deliver the gifts. The teams
delivered to area families before the Rotary Club's
weekly meeting. The gifts were hidden in black
garbage bags. Wrapping paper and tape was provided.
"This is the best year that I have ever
seen," said Glenn Jablonski, 18, co-president
of the Interact Club.
With so many donations of toys made by students
and staff at the school, there was enough to share
with other community organizations collecting gifts
to distribute during the holidays, Pignatora said.
The Interact Club is sponsored by the Forked
River Rotary Club, Cortese said. Members are between
14 and 18 years old. Interact is a service club that
raises both family and community awareness,
according to the club description.
With 107 Interact members at the high school,
"We have one of the largest Interact
clubs," said Pignatora.
She said the high school and school district
administration are very supportive of the programs
in which the club participates.
"It is amazing," said Jessica Schlueter,
17. "There is no other word to describe it. I
get very emotional (during the delivery). I cried
last year."
