Our young citizens of Neosho continue to amaze and inspire me.
I write this in response to an e-mail I received from Jim Cummins, president of the Neosho Booster Club, prior to Thanks-giving.
Cummins shared a story of how members of the Neosho High School Lady Wildcats basketball team took Thanksgiving meals to two families in need. The basketball players also donated Neosho sweatshirts to the families.
First-year head coach Lance Robbins is at the helm of the Lady Wildcat program this year, and he and his players and assistant coaches are to be commended for helping these two families in need have a great Thanksgiving meal.
“The girls were very excited to make and deliver the food to these two families that needed our help,” wrote Robbins to the Neosho Booster Club. “Not only was this a great way to build relationships in our community, but will hopefully help our athletes better understand the core values we as coaches are trying to instill in them.”
Not only did the basketball players provide a meal and Neosho apparel for the two families, the NHS office staff took up donations and purchased a $50 gift card from Wal-Mart for each family.
While Robbins wrote the Neosho Booster Club thanking its members for the donations of the sweatshirts and its support, it is the community that should be thanking Robbins, his staff and players for giving back to the community.
And I share that story because it’s that time of year again when Neosho comes together to help its friends and neighbors in need. Here are a few programs currently under way in an effort to provide support for the less fortunate this holiday season.
Donations are currently being sought and plans are in full force for the 2009 Newton County Food Basket Brigade.
If you need assistance through the program, visit the Neosho Help Center at 214 E. Main St., in Neosho, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays.
The community-wide door-to-door collections for non-perishable food will be held Saturday, Dec. 12. The Neosho Daily News will serve as one of the drop off stations on this day, and will be open from 9 a.m. until noon for those wishing to drop off donations for the pantry. The main drop-off location for donations is the Neosho Armory building downtown. You can also mail monetary donations to PO Box 925, Neosho, MO, 64850.
