News : COMMUNITY SUPPORT HELPS TO MAKE THE SUMMER SACK LUNCH PROGRAM A SUCCESS VINTON

The Ecumenical Ministry Teams of the Vinton Ministerial Association is pleased to report that 2280 sack lunches were given out to 274 children over the course of the summer as part of the third annual Summer Sack Lunch Program sponsored by the 6 local churches.

The number of children served grew by 74 over 2009. The Summer Sack Lunch Program was born out the flood summer of 2008 when floodwaters adversely affected local families.

The Eastern Iowa Presbytery from Iowa City provided the initial seed-money for the project based out of the Vinton Presbyterian Church. Since then the East Central District Mathew 25 Board of the Methodist has provided additional financial resources as well as the Vinton Community Foundation, City of Vinton LOST grant and other support from local area individuals and businesses.

The Ministry Team sincerely thanks the community for your continued support of the Summer Sack Lunch Program. From June 7th-August 17, area students were provided with a sack lunch each day, Monday-Friday that they could pick up on the steps of the Presbyterian Church.

Seventy-seven volunteers working over 500 hours, preparing and distributing the lunches. As the program continues to grow, so does the cost of preparing the lunches.

The Ministry Team asks that individuals and/or businesses that would like to financially support the Summer Sack Lunch Program for 2011 to contact LaDonna Marter at 472-2282 or send contributions in care of Summer Sack Lunch Program, c/o Presbyterian Church. 608 1st Ave. Vinton, 52349.