To the Editor:

We at Church & Community Program are happy to report that thanks to the help and generosity of our volunteers and donors, hundreds of students are off to a smooth start with new backpacks stuffed with essential supplies. They also have fresh haircuts, and stylish, high-quality new sneakers. This year, our program served 103 families with 260 students in the Canton Central, Hermon-Dekalb and Edwards-Knox school districts.

Thank you to Stewart’s Shops and all the shoppers who donated to the annual Holiday Match. Those coins really add up, and the Church & Community Program in Canton was the happy recipient of a $1,500 grant that helps make this program possible.

Retired teacher Pat Sibbitts has headed the program for years, while longtime CCP Board member and volunteer Cheryl Glidden introduced the sneaker part three years ago to allow students to put their best foot forward. Thank you to both women and their dedicated volunteers for their hard work and fundraising.

Thank you also to the Salvation Army for donating sturdy backpacks and to the youngsters of the Calvary Baptist Vacation Bible School who chose to donate $500 to CCP’s program. Leigh Stark of MVP in Potsdam also has our deep thanks for all her help in obtaining all of these sneakers on time, in the right size and color.

We now pass the fundraising and organizing baton to the Giving Tree Committee. More news on that will be coming soon.

Connie Jenkins
Director, Church & Community Program
Canton