4 Local 4 • Local • Thursday, April 3, 2014
Bureau County Republican • bcrnews.com
Pantry
Something’s fishy here
From Page 1
Alan Ring (from left), Thess Hewitt and Bridget Potthoff pause for a quick photo during the Holy Trinity Church’s third annual fish fry in the church hall in Cherry. The proceeds from the event go to help support the Holy Trinity Low Income Energy Assistance Fund. The event included a fish dinner with all the trimmings. BCR photo/Becky Kramer
DePue From Page 1 that students had looked back on the last 20 years of graduation ceremonies. With the exception of one year, when a ceremony was held on a Thursday, they discovered graduation ceremonies have always been on a Friday. The surveys they had created for teachers, staff and community members were passed out to board members. The surveys asked whether the person would attend graduation on a Friday, Sunday or didn’t care either way. “We made it optional for all teachers and staff to choose which day they preferred. We got an overwhelming amount who chose Friday; no one chose Sunday; and some said they didn’t care which day it was,” Yundt reported. Again, students shared stories on how having the ceremony on a Sunday would affect celebrations and families coming into town — some from as far as California — for the graduation. Students also talked about how many family members worked on Sundays and wouldn’t be able to make the ceremony. Board member Nickole Barto, who has been against keeping graduation on a Friday,
expressed her concerns with holding graduation on the same day as state or sectional track meets and how it might convince students in the future to not go out for the sport. “We don’t want to make that conflict for them. They shouldn’t have to choose between qualifying for state or going to state or going to their graduation,” she said. “We’re trying to make it so they don’t have to make it an option, so that they can do both.” Board President Laurie Delgado, who voted in March to change graduation back to Friday, pointed out the low number of students who have qualified for state each year. “You’re going to change everything for two or three kids,” she said. “We wouldn’t do that for any other sport.” Dawn Croisant, a teacher’s aide at the school, spoke out in the audience and shared what teachers and staff thought about the change. “A lot of staff would rather it be on Friday because we’ve already been here for the whole day, and we’re ready to go, whereas on a Sunday you get busy with other things and your own family. I’m sure the students would rather have
the staff there they’ve connected with over the past 12 years,” she said. High school math teacher Gabriel Larios explained his biggest challenge with the students throughout the years has been improving their school spirit and making them proud of their school. “I’ve tried really hard to change that, and little by little we have changed that … More students are participating, and these guys are bleeding orange and blue (the school colors),” he said. “I’m afraid that if graduation is on a Sunday they will be upset and will stop bleeding orange and blue, and everything I’ve worked so hard for here will be thrown out the window.” With the response from students, teachers and parents, the board leaned toward a Friday ceremony but pointed out that this would be a conflict they will have to look at each year. Board member Jason Hayes pointed out they may even have to push the ceremony into June in the future in order to avoid conflicts. “It might even be two weeks into June,” he said. “You need to start spreading the word that it might be the next month.” After board members unanimously approved
St. Louis Catholic School
Fish Fry Every Friday During Lent March 7 thru April 11 4:30 - 7:00 pm
Carry Outs Available 815-872-8521
0 $8.0 s t l u Ad
Menu Includes:
$ 5. Kids 00 12 Unde & r
All You Can Eat Fish Dinner & Dessert, Lemonade
to change the graduation date to May 23, which avoids a conflict with junior high and high school track meets, Mendez and fellow senior classmate Isaac Reyes expressed their satisfaction with the board’s final decision. “We’re keeping something big here when we leave, and that’s tradition,” Mendez said. “In DePue, tradition and family are the biggest thing we have … We’re leaving behind a legacy for the other students about how important tradition is and they can bleed orange and blue.” Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.
As far as its regular needs, the food pantry is currently in need of pretty much everything, Lanham said. Food staples are always needed, things like cereal, macaroni and cheese, and soups, as well as fruit, Lanham said. Paper products, like toilet paper and paper towels, toothpaste and soap, are always needed, Lanham said. As far as the persons having a need for the local food pantry, Lanham said a lot of the patrons are noticing the recent cuts in food stamps, which is taking a toll on their budgets. There are also a lot of underemployed and part-time employed, she said. “If you have a family and one parent is laid-off from work and the other is working part-time, and you have three kids, there’s just no way you have enough money,” Lanham said. She’s also seen a slight increase in the number of elderly people using
the food pantry, which is a very hard thing for them to do, Lanham said. There are also some folks who hadn’t used the food pantry for more than a year, but are now back because they’ve lost a job. With the price of food going up so much in recent months, monetary donations are always appreciated, since the food pantry can buy many items from the River Bend Food Bank in the Quad Cities at 18 cents per pound, Lanham said. The food pantry’s last bill from River Bend was for $1,700, but they got $5,800 worth of food, she said. The food pantry also tries to support the local grocery store, Winger’s Royal Super Market in Sheffield, as much as possible and is grateful for its help to the food pantry, Lanham said adding the Western Bureau County Food Pantry would be closed without the generosity of people, businesses and churches in its service area, she said. Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.
Is there an issue out there that has you troubled? — If so, why not consider writing a Letter to the Editor. Contact BCR Editor Terri Simon for details.
Affordable Cellular Service as low as $8.70 per month. What is Lifeline? Lifeline Wireless Assistance helps make it easier for everyone to own a phone and have the ability to make a call in an emergency. Qualified Lifeline customers can choose to purchase an IVC Lifeline rate plan or select any regular IVC rate plan and receive an $9.25 monthly credit off of the published monthly service rate plus receive 50% off the activation fee. Lifeline is a federal benefit. Can I qualify for Lifeline? If you are participating in the following State or Federal Programs you may qualify: • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Medicaid • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Federal Public Housing Assistance Program (FPHA) or Section 8 • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • National School Lunch’s Free Lunch Program (NSL) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • If the total household income of all persons in your household is below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines you may quality. In order to qualify, you must present the documentation set forth in the application and certification form, and you must pay any outstanding balance for telephone services provided to you or any member of your household at your current address. How to apply? Qualifying applicants will need to purchase a cellular phone through IV Cellular that is compliant and approved technology which meets the Federal Communications Commission standards. When applying, the applicant must complete the Lifeline application and certification form provided by IVC. In addition, the applicant must provide documentation of participation in one of the eligibility programs listed above or specified documentation of income. Your phone number (if you already have service). The case number you have been assigned through Medicaid, Food Stamps, SSI, public housing or LIHEAP and/or your social security number. Your mailing address. If you are participating in the monthly discount program, your phone bill will be reduced by $9.25 each month automatically by IV Cellular within 30 days after your eligibility is determined.
Illinois Valley Cellular • 1-800-438-4824 • www.ivcellular.com