December 2017 Finished

The Dog Pound December 2017 It’s a great day to be a Bulldog! Advisor: Sherri Permeswaran by Breanna Martin The student council just wrapped up their Support Siouxland Soldiers fundraiser this year, and for the eighth year in a row, it was a success. The fundraiser is organized and run by student council members and advisors Nancy Isebrand and Neal Utesch. Every year between October and November, various teachers collect items from students to send to troops from the Le Mars area who have been deployed. These items include beef jerky, fruit snacks, granola bars, hard candies, mac and cheese, microwavable soup, packaged tuna, and pudding cups. The student council also had students raise money at the gate at football and volleyball games. The school raised $1,318.27 to help pay for the cost of shipping and additional supplies. On Wednesday November 15, the student council packed 50 full packages with the collected supplies for the troops. That is ten more packages than last year! by Madison Mahan Bulldogs donate to “Support Siouxland Soldiers” Students give cancer the boot As Christmas comes around, many families are not able to get everything for their kids. Some families have children that are not able to have a Christmas because a family member is battling cancer. To help these people, the student council has organized a December fundraiser called “Give Cancer the Boot.” Each grade has to reach a goal to have a double open lunch on December 22, the last day before Christmas break. According to student council advisor Nancy Isebrand, the usual fundraiser for the Christian Needs Center has been moved to the spring. The goal this year amounts to an average of $2 per person in each grade. Senior Maddy Mahan said, “‘Give Cancer the Boot’ is a wonderful idea because so many families are affected by cancer, and we are doing something to bring a little light into their lives.” Senior Katie McAllister said, “Many students that we see everyday know someone who is fighting cancer. By doing this fundraiser, we are able to help these families, which is a wonderful feeling.” Student council members JT Engebretson, Katie McAllister, Gretchen Adams, and Halie Schwartz show off the boots kicking cancer! Student council members worked to fill boxes with goodies to send to soldiers from the area. Along with those 50 that were sent right away, the student council is sending about 10 more boxes to local troops who are being deployed over Christmas, like senior Caleb Ketelsen’s sister Mattea. Each box is decorated with a nice saying for the troops like “we’re praying for you” to lighten their mood. Student council president Katie McAllister said, “This year was another great success, and we accumulated more money than we’ve ever done before. It’s just such an amazing feeling that we are doing something and giving back for those that do everything for us.” Isebrand added, “We made sure that we gave items that they really need and requested like trail mix and wipes. I worked with the 185th Air Guard out of Sioux City to make sure soldiers even in top secret missions get boxes.” Vice-Principal Neal Utesch explained, “I like doing this because it brings the importance of supporting the soldiers to our students. It’s a great way to say thank you to those that sacrifice for us.” Secretary of student council Elizabeth Ihrke replied, “It’s a little act of kindness that goes a long way to show our appreciation for those who protect our freedom.” “I like doing SSS because it allows me to give something back to the people who are making the ultimate sacrifice,” said student council vice- president Caden Washburn. The organization of Support Siouxland Soldiers gave LeMars Community a special shoutout on Facebook thanking students and staff for the help.