From donating 30,000 food items to the Village Food Pantry, to raising more than $10,000 to help the needy,  to putting boots on the ground to aide community programs,  New Richmond Exempted Village School District staff, students and community proved once again that care and concern for students and their families is not limited to the classroom.

“It is truly an honor and a privilege to be a part of a school district where care and concern for students and their families is not limited to the confines of the classroom and where an attitude of giving and giving back is cultivated at every grade level and extends exponentially into our community,” said New Richmond High School teacher Sue Griffin, whose Lions Reach Out charity raised $8000.

Lions Reach Out fundraising efforts included the Turkey Tuesday basketball game between high school students and staff, a craft fair and a Bengals ticket raffle that raised $700. An anonymous donor donated two Bengals club seats valued at $410 for the raffle. River Hills and Park National banks, Front Street Café, the Green Kayak and the Landing sold tickets.

“That $8000 also includes contributions from staff members and community residents and Chuck and James (entertainers Chuck Grady and James Evanshine) donating their Human Jukebox fees,” said Griffin. “The money put into gifts for kids sponsored by parents and staff members probably added another $2000-3000 to that total.  This year, we took care of about 80 children, ranging in age from an infant to seniors in high school.”

New Richmond Elementary provided gifts for more than 70 students.

“In addition to supporting  the Lions Reach Out Program, the NRE staff partnered with Park National Bank in New Richmond to provide gifts for more than 70 of our students through our first annual Giving Tree program,” said NRE principal Jamie Kunz.

NRHS Virtual Academy students joined NREVSD Transitions Program students on their monthly trip to Mathew 25 Ministries to package items for the needy.

“It’s good for all students to provide a service to their community,” said Virtual Academy director Gary Combs, who worked with Transitions teacher Lisa Martin to coordinate the effort. “Mathew 25 Ministries was complimentary of the students from New Richmond and invited them to volunteer anytime they like.”

The district food drive set records again for the district, high school, middle school and elementary schools with the high school collecting 15,277 items, the middle school 8800 items and the three elementary schools combining for 6006 items for a district total of 30,083 items for the New Richmond Village Food Pantry.

NREVSD staff, students and their families donated 30,083 food items to the New Richmond Food Pantry.

Last year’s district food drive collected 26,891 items with the high school leading with 14,920.

“It’s an all-time high once again,” said NRHS principal Mark Bailey. “We’ve broken the record for three years in a row.”

Monroe Elementary continued its tradition of foregoing a Christmas party in favor of donating to a worthy cause and collected more than 200 new pajamas for the Pajama Program.

“There is a wonderful synergy that happens when the things that all of us do together are much greater than what any of us could do individually,” said Griffin.