The Greggton Rotary Club donated about 500 books to kindergartners at Pine Tree and Spring Hill primary schools. Called the "I Like Me" program, the books are personalized to fit each child. "They are able to read a story about themselves, their friends, their teacher," said Rotarian Laurie Pearce. "This builds self-esteem, confidence and begins an early habit of reading and appreciation of books."
This program began in 2001 at the suggestion of Bill Rains, who was the acting district governor, she said.
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Laurie Pearce of the Greggton Rotary Club shares a book with a Pine Tree Primary School student Alexis Allen.
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Members of various Alltel Customer Service Call Center employee teams raising money for the March of Dimes through a ?penny war? include: call center manager Amy O. Hawkins, lead customer service representative and co-captain of the March for Babies Campaign Mandi McGee, lead customer service representative Laura Hitt, supervisor Amanda Keough, and staff assistant and co-captain of the March for Babies Campaign Pam Shields-Marquez. Absent from the photo was customer service representative Staci Grant, a key participant in the fund drive.
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At $8 each, the club needed $4,000 for the books. Bob Metzler, owner of RLM Construction, and Les Mendicello, president of Spring Hill State Bank, donated $300 each to make sure each kindergartner in the club's service area received a book.
A chiropractor, Pearce has been a Rotarian for about 12 years. She works with the counselors at the schools to make sure no child is left out. She said she chose the Rotary Club because she wanted to re-acquaint herself with her hometown following a 16-year absence, and was interested in "building relationships as well as building and contributing back to the community.
Other organizations Pearce said the Greggton Rotary helps to support include: Campfire USA, 4-H clubs, Boys & Girls Club, Community Partners for Children, Crisman School, East Texas Literacy, Junior Achievement, Longview Community Ministries, Parenting Resource Center, Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center and Habitat for Humanity.
Alltel employees raise 469 pounds of pennies
Employees at the Alltel Customer Service Call Center had a penny war involving 12 teams during the month of March for the March of Dimes March for Babies. The company raised 469 pounds of pennies, with the winning team bringing in 82 pounds. This amounted to $981.80. "Our goal for the center was $1,200 and we went over and above our goal to $1,980," said Alltel employee Miranda McGee. "We never dreamed the response would be so overwhelming."
Staff assistant Pam Marquez said employees donate to several local nonprofit agencies, but the March of Dimes is especially important because some of the women in the company had delivered premature babies. "This is close to our hearts," she said.
