WCHS Students Donate To Beaman Home
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — The Beaman Home has received a donation of more than $2,000 thanks in part to some Warsaw Community High School students.
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, students involved in Junior Achievement and WCHS teacher Amy Riley’s economics class helped present the donation to Beaman Home Director Renea Salyer. Beaman, located in Warsaw, works to assist those affected by domestic violence.
The funds totaled $2,158 and were collected via the students, an individual donation from one of the students, Jacob Dahlgren, and his family, and a match of funds by JA volunteer Rick Keeven.
Riley explained that Keeven always works to help the students think of others.
“He challenges the kids to look outside themselves and to find some kind of organization they would like to donate to and then he always promises that he will match it,” she said.
Dahlgren said his family was touched by the Beaman Home’s mission, which led to the donation, with Keeven matching that donation and the WCHS students collecting the rest.
“I tell the class that if they want to live a fulfilled life, they have to experience love and purpose, and as an example of purpose to understand what that is, we do this project where they pick something and do something beyond themselves,” Keeven said.
Salyer said the donation would be used to purchase food for clients at the shelter.
“We serve about 8,000 meals a year,” she said. “We’re funded by … federal and state grants and local grants, but they don’t cover the cost of food, so any extra donations that we receive help to bring in food for people.”
“It’s an excellent opportunity that Mr. Keeven gives to the JA students here to think outside the box and to be philanthropic to the community and the Beaman Home is very blessed to be a recipient this year,” she said.