Area organizations collaborate to donate food and toys to southern counties
<span>Chester Walmart, together with Chester Grade School, Chester Christian Area Food Pantry and area churches and organizations, has been working to obtain donations for children and families of Southern Illinois' southernmost counties.</span>
<span>"We've been trying to get a toy for 500 children and (CGS Principal) Tim (Lochhead) and his team gladly accepted that challenge and now, they raised over 5,000 (items)," said Chester Walmart Manager Christopher DeWitt. "I really want to commend them.</span>
<span>"The support from the community has been outstanding and Tim and his team here at Chester Grade School have always been valued supporters on any initiative."</span>
<span>Cairo's lone grocery store closed Dec. 6 and with the rise of utility costs, efforts were undertaken to help residents of the impoverished community, as well as surrounding areas.</span>
<span>Gilster-Mary Lee donated nine pallets of food for its part.</span>
<span>"I think it originated out of his staff at Walmart," said Gilster-Mary Lee Vice President Tom Welge. "We've got a good partnership with Walmart on both a national and international level, as well as the local store. We were happy to help."</span>
<span>Gilster-Mary Lee donations included pancake mix and macaroni and cheese. Welge noted that it is simply one river community helping another.</span>
<span>"Cairo's got really serious economic problems and has for a number of years," Welge said. "We recognize there's things we would like to improve in our community, but (Cairo's situation) makes us realize what we have in our own community.</span>
<span>"If someone doesn't have transportation to go out of town to get groceries, what are you going to do?"</span>
<span>CACFP Director Bob Koenegstein said he was very pleased with the response to the initiative.</span>
<span>"Christopher and Walmart are spearheading this," he said. "The pantry was glad to be a part of the communication.</span>
<span>"The organizations that support the pantry have also stepped up to help with the Cairo initiative."</span>
<span>A tractor-trailer, roughly two-thirds filled with donations, left the Chester Walmart lot shortly after 10 a.m. on Monday, along with 17 volunteers from the local community.</span>
<span>"I think this has been a wonderful thing for our kids," said CGS Principal Tim Lochhead. "I really believe that they have benefitted just as much as the children of Cairo."</span>
<span>Lochhead said he expected a good community response, but even he was surprised by the results.</span>
<span>A total of 5,216 items were raised by the grade school alone and DeWitt added that Anna-Jonesboro High School has joined the effort in donating a pallet of food - worth about $615.</span>
<span>"This has been overwhelming," Lochhead said. "I guess I expected us to really do well, but I never really expected this and I don't think our kids expected this.</span>
<span>"To come up with over 5,000 gifts is truly what Christmas is about, is giving."</span>
<span>Cairo-based Daystar Community Program, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville, is facilitating the donations.</span>
<span>Director Sherry Miller told the Herald Tribune that low-income families in the state's deep south counties will benefit from the initiative.</span>
<span>"Transportation is very little here in our counties," Miller said. "We have been serving Pulaski, Alexander, Union, Massac and Johnson with requests from Hardin.</span>
<span>"Because of state funds on the freeze right now, there's nothing out there."</span>
<span>Miller noted that Daystar has only two staff members to serve the four counties. DayStar has a soup kitchen for the homeless and mobile food pantries to serve the area.</span>
<span>"We had a Thanksgiving Day program for the elderly and the handicapped," she said. "We delivered 275 meals throughout the counties."</span>
<span>DeWitt said that Walmart corporate donated the truck and driver, Mark Bowen.</span>
<span>Because of Chester Walmart employees volunteering their time, Daystar will be eligible for another Walmart grant between $1,500 and $2,500 - in addition to the $2,800 grant it has already received.</span>
<span>Miller, who has been director of Daystar for 25 years, said she is overwhelmed by the response.</span>
<span>"The sisters say 'Always pray and it will come,'" Miller said. "And it's true. We are truly blessed.</span>
<span>"If you can change one life at a time and believe in them, they can make a difference. They will really try when you believe in them."</span>