Sponsors of Giving Tuesday/Winterfest at Peabody-Burns High School on Nov. 29 were hosts to a large crowd of community members committed to sharing with local charitable groups. Peabody Community Foundation and Peabody-Burns School district partnered to put on the event in conjunction with a nationwide promotion of charitable giving.
Those in attendance made generous donations to student groups for the soup supper and to local charities for their wish list items. The total amount donated topped $6,000.
In addition to giving monetary support to 10 groups, ranging from the HUB to the Avenue of Flags, attendees also pledged volunteer hours for groups such as Partners of Peabody Parks and Peabody Senior Center. Peabody Food Bank received donations of canned goods. Donors were offered handmade Christmas tree ornaments in appreciation for their donations.
“The Peabody community continues to amaze me. We had a fabulous turnout for this event and far surpassed what I thought we would be able to raise,” said Ann Leppke, teacher, PCF board member, and a key organizer of the event. “I’ve lost track of how many students and adults told me how much fun they had. The students are already talking about next year.”
“The students were so courteous and very willing to help. I have a new appreciation for the youth in our community,” PCF board chair N. M. Patton said. “Some were ushers, some served soup, and others helped at various charity tables.”
“There is no way that I could even start to name everyone who deserves a thank you, but two people need to be mentioned, Ann Leppke, and our PCF staff person, Becky Nickel,” Patton said. He encouraged people to plan on next year’s Giving Tuesday event on Nov. 28.
On the heels of sponsoring Giving Tuesday/Winterfest and presenting grants to three organizations, Peabody Community Foundation will open the 2017 grant cycle for applications on Monday. Questions about the 2017 grant cycle can be directed to Becky Nickel, PCF administrative assistant, at admin@peabodycommunityfoundation.org or (620) 951-4022.