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Royal Oak Rotarians Volunteer Every Week Packing Meals for Students
(Jeanne Towar, April 18, 2018)
As a Royal Oak Rotarian, Frederick Kaiser knows the importance of Blessings in a Backpack to the children who participate in the program. Every week, Rotarians, along with other community volunteers, pack enough food to provide 175 Royal Oak Schools students with food for the weekends.
Kaiser, who is a trustee of the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation, helps approve grants that will make a difference in trustees’ own local communities.
“The thought of a child being hungry or not receiving nutritious meals on the weekend because they are not in school is heart-breaking,” Kaiser said. “Knowing about Blessings in a Backpack’s work at the local level and our Royal Oak Rotary Club’s support for the program, it seemed a natural fit to direct the portion of funds that I can designate to the effort.”
In March, Kaiser was joined by Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation Deputy Grand Master David Hall. After helping pack that week’s food, the two men presented a check for $2,500 to Blessings in a Backpack Royal Oak Steering Committee Chair Shelley Lake and Michigan Advisor Cheryl Whitton.
A dedicated group of community volunteers, including Rotarians, students, junior girl scouts and the Pandora Company pack food each week. Royal Oak Schools provides a large storage area for foodstuffs and the space in which packing is done.
Picture:
(From left) Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation Deputy Grand Master David Hall; Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation Trustee and Royal Oak Rotarian Frederick Kaiser; Blessings in a Backpack Michigan Advisor Cheryl Whitton; Blessings In a Backpack Steering Committee Chair and Royal Oak Rotary President Shelley Lake; and Rotarian Dorothy Sheldon. Shrine High School volunteers are in the background.