Submitted by Tamara Wilson
On behalf of Cathy McLay, Lisa Van Geem of the Peninsula SWANS accepted the Outstanding Volunteer Award at the SWANS Ontario annual conference. Lisa presented Cathy’s well-earned award to her at the Peninsula SWANS meeting on January 7th. The sweater says it all! Thank you for your hard work and dedication with SWANS Ontario and the Peninsula SWANS, Cathy! We are lucky to have you as part of our community!
Peninsula SWANS Treasurer, Bev Miller, kept the donations rolling with a $600 cheque to Vice Principal, Pam Mielhausen of Bruce Peninsula District School for the School’s Breakfast and Nutrition Program. Student helpers were on hand help receive the big cheque.
Vice Principal Mielhausen accepted the cheque on behalf of the program, saying “We are very grateful for your donation to our school’s nutrition program. Our program offers a daily snack to every student in the school. Some of the nutritious snacks offered include fruit, vegetables, cheese & crackers, bagels, boiled eggs, muffins, yogurt, etc. Snack bins are put in the hallway each morning for students to help themselves. A second bin of snacks is put out in the afternoon for any student who needs an additional snack. The program is funded by the Ontario Student Nutrition Program, and we also receive some funding from the federal government. Unfortunately, the funding we receive only covers about half of the cost of the program, so we rely on fundraising and donations. We are so lucky to have such a supportive community. Without this support, the program would not be able to run at the capacity it currently does.”
For those wishing to donate, cash and cheques can be dropped off at the school. Online donations can be made by going to the Bluewater District School Board’s website, clicking on ‘Families/Communities’ and then ‘Donate’. Select ‘Bruce Peninsula District School’ and ‘Nutrition Program’ when making the online donation. Tax receipts can be issued if requested.
S.W.A.N.S. is an acronym for SERVICE: WE ASSIST, NURTURE, SUPPORT. The SWANS welcome new members who wish to be involved in initiatives which support our local community. For further information, please contact Roberta Mielhausen at 519-374-4110.
