Donate a Plate raises $16,000 for local school breakfast programs

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

It was an outstanding result for the Donate a Plate event held at the Shelburne Home Hardware.

For the month of December, the store received donations from both customers and contractors that will go to support the breakfast program in Shelburne area schools.

The proceeds from the event are given to the Children's Foundation of Guelph, Wellington, and Dufferin and distributed through them to local schools.

In total, $16,000 was raised and donated. The event has raised a total of $71,000 over the years it has taken place. Over the past year the school breakfast program has fed 503 children on average per day for the entire school year.

Bill Gillam, owner of the Shelburne Home Hardware specifically requested where the funds should distributed.

“Normally donated money goes into a fund, but I said I wanted to give the money directly to the schools,” Mr. Gillam explained. “Due to protocol it can't be done that way. This money is specifically for the breakfast program and the Foundation distributes the money. From December 1, to 31, people come in, donate and write their name on a plate and we put them on the wall.”

Customer's could donate at the store. The store also held a Ladies' Night that brought around 240 women to the store on one evening.

Mr. Gillam matched the funds that were donated by customers and contractors. Contractors who deal with the store, Mr. Gillam said, were an important part of the program with several making large donations.

Kit Stewart, a breakfast program volunteer at Glenbrook Public School said the program is open to any student who wants breakfast.

“We have a sit down breakfast program five days each week,” Ms. Stewart explained. “We have it from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Anyone can come for breakfast. Then we make something for lunch so if a teacher sees a child that needs something for lunch or the student tells the teacher they need something, they get a ticket and they can come up for lunch.”

All the local schools host breakfast programs for children.

Contractors who took part and made sizable donations include, Barry McLean Construction, Paul and Cody at Jamieson and son Roofing, Don Patten General Carpentry, Jamie Bates at All-Pro Roofing, Paul Downey Electric, and Tony and Connie Freeman of Freeman Construction and Aluminum.