Will County Gazette

The Frankfort School District 157-C donated more than $62,000 in charitable giving and collected hundreds of pairs of mittens, gloves, hats, care packages, and boxes of food during the school year. Superintendent Doug Wernet presented the 2023-2024 Charitable Giving Report at the board of education's June 18 meeting.

According to the Frankfort School District 157-C board agenda for its June 18 meeting, Hickory Creek Middle School raised $11,449.73 for Honor Flight Chicago, a nonprofit organization that flies veterans to Washington D.C. to reflect on memorials that honor their services. Classes at the school held a "penny war" and collected donations. Popsicle sales at all three district schools helped raise the funds. The students, families, and staff at Hickory Creek Middle also answered more than 450 letters to Santa Claus from Chavez School in Chicago. In the 20 years that the school has participated in gift-giving, more than 9,000 children who have attended Chavez have received gifts.

The annual wheelchair basketball game was held on March 21 and helped raise $12,626.24 for Lincolnway Special Recreation Association (LWSR), according to the board agenda. In a lead-up to the game, all schools participated in disability awareness lessons and an assembly from LWSR. Hickory Creek students took part in a PE Takeover, playing wheelchair basketball, sit volleyball, and visually impaired goalball. Popsicle sales, staff donations for jeans week, and activities on the night of the game also helped raise funds. Hickory Creek Student Council members paired with the Frankfort Lions Club for their annual special community service project. A food drive for the Frankfort Food Pantry was held this year that received more than 1,600 donations.

Hickory Creek Middle School families and staff added $5,000 to donations they have raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation over the past 18 years. More than $60,000 has been raised during this period. Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students learned about cystic fibrosis in May and had the chance to walk the outside track to support those with cystic fibrosis. Students also participated in social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons and a school-wide assembly.

More than 1,200 items were donated at Chelsea Intermediate School with the PE team spearheading the annual Stack the Stock food drive. Students brought in canned goods to replenish stock at the Frankfort Food Pantry. The Kids Heart Challenge raised $21,310.64 for the American Heart Association as Chelsea Tigers practiced their jump roping skills and learned about heart health.

Students and staff at Grand Prairie Elementary donated items such as mints, toothpaste, playing cards, and individually packaged snacks with more than 20 care packages sent to men and women serving in the military. Families also donated 1,775 items during the annual Pack the Pantry food drive for the Frankfort Food Pantry with Mrs. Curran's class spearheading this effort. The Grand Prairie PE team sponsored an annual JDRF Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes event where families and students raised just shy of $17,000 to help find a cure for type 1 diabetes.