Local school collects 2,600 baskets for children in need for Easter Holiday

Just to make it an even 2,600 baskets, local fund raiser Kellie McIntosh was found wrapping one last basket to turn over to area social workers on Easter drive pick-up day 2011.
Last Wednesday, she reported a tally of 2,571 baskets. “I am on cloud nine,” she said. The goal was 1,500 this year, far surpassed by generous donations.
With last minute donations — and that last basket — 2,600 children had a brighter Easter morning. “I’m in shock — I keep a running tally but didn’t expect this.”
She is a teacher at Good Shepherd Lutheran School and started the drive three years ago.
Her first goal was 500 baskets, and she tripled that. Last year she got an additional 1,500. This year was a surprise, with her noting 1,700 children minimum from several shelters and agencies were in need. “It will serve my whole list, but they are more kids like this out there. We want to do a statewide project with a goal over 20,000 baskets next year verses the local goal of 2,000 this year.”
Social workers went to the school and left laden with the baskets to distribute.
They donated the more than 2,500 to ACT, the Abused Counseling Treatment Center for Women and Children of Lee County, shelters, the Children’s Network of Lee County and more.
The drive’s success is the result of donations from the school’s teachers, students, parents and other campus contributors, as well as local businesses.
Officials from drop off locations McIntosh would like to thank include include Dance Dimensions in Cape Coral, Top Notch Carpet Care of Fort Myers, two locations of the Ice Cream Club of Cape Coral and Victory Layne Chevrolet of Fort Myers.
This year several other businesses stepped in to help. “The law offices of Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice & Purtz, P.A. Fort Myers stepped in at the last minute to send us over our goal, along with Tri-County Landscape of Cape Coral. Legacy One Financial of Fort Myers also donated 300 baskets,” she said.
“I want to thank everybody. Rosemary Jones’ Kindergarten class won for most collected by a class at the school. They get the ice cream party with the Easter Bunny with over 400 baskets.”
Easter Bunny stand-in Chris Johnson was a big part of the success promoting the drive both at school and at public events.
If you would like to be part of the drive next year, mark your calender and call McIntosh at 995-7711.
Good Shepherd Lutheran School is located at the corner of Hancock Bridge Parkway and Orange Grove Boulevard, near the border of North Fort Myers and Cape Coral.