Vantage Student Ambassadors Zach Chamberlin (Kalida), Lexi Doster (Continental), Levi Hiltner (Continental), Liz Lammers (Lincolnview) and Cullen Wenzlick (Paulding) smile for the camera while they work at the Day of Caring Food Drive.
Vantage Career Center students were very active in the 17th annual United Way Day of Caring. The Medical Office Management students and their teacher, Mrs. Paula VanTilburg, directed the school’s food drive blitz on September 11, when over 3,000 canned food items were donated for the Salvation Army Food Drive. Two programs won pizza parties for their donations – Industrial Mechanics, who brought in over 700 food items and Buildings & Grounds, who, with only 10 students, donated 33 items per student!
An additional $1,800 was raised to purchase more groceries. Vantage students and staff were able to contribute over 5,000 non-perishable food items to the Salvation Army this year.
Providing some much needed muscle to load and unload the donated food on and off the collection trucks were students from the Building and Grounds program and their first-year teacher, Mr. Dave DeLano, and aide, Mrs. Brenda Wurst.
The Vantage Student Ambassadors, along with teacher aide Mrs. Nancy Keith and Social Studies teacher Mr. Tony Unverferth worked at the Salvation Army Food Drive, helping to unload, sort, count, box and store donated food items from around the county.
New senior Health Tech teacher, Mrs. Wendy Baumle and her students volunteered their expertise at the bloodmobile held at Trinity Friends Church Family Life Center. Using what they learned from class and their practical experiences, they performed duties on the bloodmobile floor and in the kitchen and canteen to assist the American Red Cross to insure things went as smoothly as possible. This year, 43 Vantage seniors were able donate blood during their lab time.
Although Mrs. Robin Burns and the Culinary Arts class stayed at school, they participated in the day’s activities by preparing delicious chicken noodle soup (with homemade noodles) and potato soup for the Red Cross workers and the volunteers at the bloodmobile.
Community service projects provide a real opportunity for students to learn how to work well with others. Being able to give help without expecting anything in return is an important lesson in life. Many Vantage students and staff donated food, time, finances or blood to help make this special day a success in Van Wert County. Vantage is proud to have been part of it.
