While Ohio’s winter weather season has been unpredictable, there have been several days of very cold temperatures. Galion City School District bus drivers noticed that some Galion students were without a hat or gloves during those cold days, and they decided to approach Director of Transportation Jim Myers and Superintendent Jim Grubbs.
“We didn’t realize how big an issue this was for our students,” Myers said. “Grubbs and I put our heads together and came up with an idea that would involve students helping students.”
Myers, who is a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, approached the church’s “Café Group” about helping to find a solution. The group is comprised of primarily Galion students, and they decided to go shopping but needed to come up with some money.
“Thanks to a very generous donation from an anonymous Galion City School District employee, our Café Group was able to purchase more than 73 hat and glove sets for bus drivers to distribute to Galion students,” Café Group Director Doug Rigdon said. “The youth enjoy projects where they are serving others, and it is even more meaningful when it potentially helps a peer.”
Members of the Café Group who helped shop and package the hat and mitten sets included: Chloe Klepatzki, Ben Altstadt, Caleb Strack, Clay Karnes, Bri Wallis, Sam Rigdon and Eli Skaggs. The group’s goal is to continue the project next year and get an early start before winter.
